25% obese children have hypertension, reveals AIIMS-Bhopal research

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): AIIMS Bhopal, in its research, revealed that about 25% of obese children and 65% of children with CKD or Chronic Kideny diseases have ambulatory hypertension, citing junk food as the major cause.

Dr Girish Chandra Bhatt, Additional Professor, Pediatrics, AIIMS Bhopal informed that with change in lifestyle and increasing consumption of junk food by children, there has been an increase in prevalence of hypertension in children. Various studies have shown a prevalence of 5 % to 8% in healthy children, while the risk of hypertension is higher in at risk conditions such as obesity, renal disease, cardiac disease, sickle cell disease and endocrinology disorders.

Children who suffer from kidney disease have some common symptoms like: swelling around face, eyes, abdomen, burning micturition or difficulty in micturition, crying during micturition, no weight gain and bony deformities.

Among all kidney disease Nephrotic syndrome is most common in children which results into loss of protein in urine and low serum albumin. Approximately 90% of the patients are responsive to corticosteroids and referred to as steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

Approximately 40% to 50% cases of steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome develop frequently relapsing course and require medications other than steroids. Rest of the 10% cases of nephrotic syndrome do not respond to steroids and are referred to as steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome and these children will require kidney biopsy.

Parents of children suffering from nephrotic syndrome are expected to do daily urinary protein by dipstick. This help clinician to know whether the child has achieved remission or not. The importance of doing dipstick is crucial when the child is normal as treatment can be initiated early (when urinary protein is +3 for 3 days) to avoid complications of oedema.

Apart from nephrotic syndrome recurrent urinary tract infection in children can cause damage to kidney. Therefore, children with urinary tract infection require detailed investigations to avoid the complications.

Published on: Saturday, March 18, 2023, 03:01 PM IST