SYSTEMIC HYPERTENSION IN INFANTS WITH SEVERE BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA - ASSOCIATED CLINICAL FACTORS

The clinical course of 87 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD ) on home oxygen therapy was reviewed to determine the occurrence of s ystemic hypertension (HTN) and to evaluate associated clinical feature s. Eleven of 87 (13%) infants developed systemic HTN either in the neo natal intensive care unit or following discharge. Clinical features th at distinguished the hypertensive from the normotensive group were as follows: greater use of bronchodilators, 91% vs 37% (p <0.001), and di uretics, 91 % vs 55% (p <0.05), longer duration of home oxygen therapy 21.6 +/- 9.9 vs 9.2 +/- 5.8 months (p <0.05), and greater mortality, 36% vs 1% (p <0.001). The course of systemic HTN in the surviving pati ents (7 of 11) was benign and resolved in all patients prior to weanin g from home oxygen therapy. Systemic HTN is frequently present in infa nts with severe BPD and appears to be related to the clinical severity of lung disease.