White coat hypertension in adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Although white coat hypertension (WCH) seems to occur in 20% or more of the adult hypertensive population, this clinical condition has rarely been described in adolescents.

DESIGN

Routine use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) procedure as part of the investigation of arterial hypertension in adolescents.

METHODS

Office blood pressure was checked after 5 minutes of rest in the seated position by the auscultation method and ABPM was performed with oscillometrical equipment (SpaceLabs 90207, Redmond, Washington, USA).

RESULTS

In the present study 6 adolescents (5 females, 3 white), suspected to suffer from arterial hypertension as judged by office blood pressure measurements, mean age 15.1 years (12.2 - 17.7), mean height 164.5 cm, mean weight 77.2 kg, mean body mass index 28.8 kg/m2 (25 - 35.2), were diagnosed with WCH using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).

CONCLUSION

White coat hypertension should also be considered in the evaluation of arterial hypertension in adolescents.