The incidence of long-term hypertension in children after high-grade renal trauma

Abstract Introduction It is generally accepted that there is a risk of hypertension after renal trauma, particularly in high-grade and devascularizing injuries. Hypertension following renal trauma is estimated to occur in five percent of adults, however, the incidence is unknown in the pediatric population. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of all pediatric trauma patients at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah between 2002 and 2012. We included all children age ≤ 17 years old with American Association for Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grade 3–5 renal injury. Hypertension was defined as persistent hypertension that required anti-hypertensive medications. Our primary outcomes were incidence of hypertension during the acute trauma and in long-term follow. Results A total of 62 children were identified with AAST grade 3–5 renal injuries during our study period. Follow up blood pressures were recorded in 36 (58%) of these children with a median follow of 4.1 years (IQR 2.1–5.1 years) after trauma. Four children (6.5%) were identified to have some degree of hypertension while hospitalized after trauma and started on anti-hypertensive medication. Two out of these four children remained on hypertensive medication at follow up, while the remaining two children’s hypertension resolved. No children who were normotensive in the immediate post-trauma period, developed delayed hypertension during long-term follow up. Conclusions There is a low risk of developing hypertension following severe renal trauma in the pediatric population. Patients who develop long-term problems with hypertension after renal trauma manifest it during the initial hospitalization, rather than subsequently during the long-term.