Albuminuria and masked hypertension in overweight and obese children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study.

The prevalence of masked hypertension in overweight and obese children was 9.5%.

• 409 children were included with a median age of 11.3 years; 236 (57.7%) were male.
• 39 children (9.5%) were identified as having masked hypertension.
• 301 (73.6%) were normotensive, 27 (6%) had true hypertension, and 42 (10.2%) had white coat hypertension.
• Children aged 5 to 16 years who consulted at two tertiary hospitals in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires were included.
• Both office blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were recorded to classify blood pressure status.

Ambulatory hypertension was significantly associated with office systolic blood pressure in univariate and multivariate regression models.

• OR 1.1 for office systolic BP, p <0.001.
• Models were adjusted for age and sex.
• Both univariate and multivariate regression models showed this association.

Albuminuria was significantly associated with ambulatory hypertension in overweight and obese children.

• OR 3.37 for albuminuria in the full regression model, p = 0.03.
• Association was identified in univariate and multivariate regression models adjusted for age and sex.
• Albuminuria was assessed as part of the metabolic profile and renal function evaluation.

Albuminuria was the only predictor of masked hypertension specifically in obese children.

• OR 3.6 for albuminuria predicting masked hypertension in obese individuals, p <0.01.
• This finding was derived from subgroup analysis of obese patients.
• No other variable was identified as a predictor of masked hypertension in the obese subgroup.

Childhood overweight and obesity are associated with masked hypertension, which may have a greater impact on ambulatory blood pressure than on office blood pressure.

• The study design was analytical, observational, and cross-sectional.
• Overweight and obese children were specifically selected as the study population given their known risk for masked hypertension.
• The study aimed to evaluate markers of masked hypertension including albuminuria as early target organ damage.
• Masked hypertension was identified using both office BP measurements and ABPM.