Prevalence and risk factors of childhood hypertension from birth through childhood: a retrospective cohort study

The prevalence of childhood hypertension is recognized as an important parameter of cardiovascular risk in adults. This retrospective study aimed to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors for hypertension from birth through childhood as of 2014. Stratified cluster sampling was used to select 17,007 participants (5971 with biochemical indexes available) aged 6-12 years on two avenues per region in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The prevalence of hypertension was 12.55%; children with obesity combined with rural residence, low family income, birth weight (<3000 g) (BWP25) or >10 months of breastfeeding had a significantly elevated prevalence of hypertension (37.06%, 30.41%, 30.04%, and 30.84%, respectively). Obesity and heart rate were the significant anthropometric determinants; gestational hypertension, BWP25 and >10 months of breastfeeding were the significant perinatal determinants; rural residence was the significant socioeconomic determinant; fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were the significant serum biochemical determinants; and red blood cell counts and platelet counts were the significant haematological determinants of childhood hypertension. The adjusted R-2 values were 14.45% and 24.88% in the full models excluding and including serum indexes, respectively. We observed a notable prevalence of hypertension in a large paediatric sample. Obesity, high heart rate, BWP25, >10 months of breastfeeding, low family income, rural residence, abnormal lipid metabolism, and abnormal blood counts were associated with an increased risk of hypertension.