title: High prevalence of elevated blood pressure among children with neurofibromatosis type 1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common neurocutaneous disease characterized by café-au-lait spots, axillary and inguinal freckling, neurofibromas, and optic gliomas. Increased rates of hypertension (HTN) were reported among NF1 patients, however, the prevalence of HTN and pre-HTN in pediatric NF1 patients has not been clarified.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure (BP) measurements, weight, and renal ultrasound were assessed in 224 NF1 pediatric patients followed in a specialized NF1 clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cohort's mean age was 9.1 ± 4.1 years. Overweight and obesity were found in 12.9 and 10.3 % of them, respectively. BP was measured averagely 2.9 times per patient on different occasions. Blood pressure was in the pre-HTN and HTN ranges in 14.9 and 16.9 % of measurements, respectively. BP >95th was detected in 20.5 % at the first measurement. Of 114 children with at least three BP measurements, 18.4 % had two values in the HTN range and 6.14 % had at least three. Overweight was not associated with HTN among children with NF1. Urinary tract ultrasonographic abnormalities were detected in 6.8 % (11/161) of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of increased BP in pediatric NF1 is much higher than in the general pediatric population. BP has to be regularly assessed and managed in this high-risk population.
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.|The Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Dubov
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.|The Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Hagit
authors: H
authors: Toledano-Alhadef
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.|Nephrology Department, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Gil
authors: G
authors: Chernin
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.|The Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Shlomi
authors: S
authors: Constantini
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.|Pediatric Nephrology Service, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Roxana
authors: R
authors: Cleper
authors: Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. shayb@tlvmc.gov.il.|The Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel. shayb@tlvmc.gov.il.
authors: Shay
authors: S
authors: Ben-Shachar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Hypertension; NF1; Obesity; Pre-hypertension; Renal ultrasound