Prevalence of Hypertension (HTN) and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Hospitalized Pediatric Hemophilia Population

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2018 Apr;40(3):196-199. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000001036.

Abstract

Improved life expectancy in hemophilia has led to a greater interest in age-related disorders. Hypertension (HTN) as well as cardiovascular disease have been increasingly reported in hemophilic adults but there is currently very limited data in the pediatric population. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2012 National Health Cost and Utilization Project database to determine the prevalence of HTN and associated cardiovascular risk factors in a hospitalized pediatric hemophilia population, between the ages of 0 to 21 years, in comparison with the general pediatric population. The prevalence of HTN was significantly higher in children with hemophilia (CWH) in comparison with the general pediatric population (1.71% vs. 1.02%, P-value=0.005). When adjusting the analysis for sex, the prevalence of HTN in the hemophilia cohort remained higher, although not statistically significant (1.52% vs. 1.22%, P-value=0.2568). When examining the concomitant presence of ≥1 cardiovascular risk factors in the hypertensive subgroups, CWH had a higher prevalence of obesity (2.64% vs. 1.32%, P-value <0.0001). Interestingly, diabetes mellitus was more prevalent in nonhemophilic children (1.47% vs. 0.56%, P-value=0.0015). These data suggest that cardiovascular risk factors need to be closely monitored in CWH, and a better preventive strategy is likely needed to identify those hemophilic patients at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hemophilia A / complications*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Hypertension / etiology
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Inpatients / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Young Adult