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 systemic hypertension (HTN) and to evaluate associated clinical features. Eleven of 87 (13%) infants developed systemic HTN either in the neonatal intensive care unit or following discharge. Clinical features that distinguished the hypertensive from the normotensive group were as follows: greater use of bronchodilators, 91% vs 37% (p < 0.001), and diuretics, 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 patients (7 of 11) was benign and resolved in all patients prior to weaning from home oxygen therapy. Systemic HTN is frequently present in infants with severe BPD and appears to be related to the clinical severity of lung disease.