Author(s)

Richard Azagoh-Kouadio^1*, Yao Kossonou Roland Yeboua², Kouassi Christian Yao², John Patrick Yenan², Iburaima Alamun Akanji², Kouadio Vincent Assé²

¹Pediatric Department of Angré University Hospital, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
²Pediatric Department of Bouaké University Hospital, Bouaké, Ivory Coast.

Introduction: Arterial hypertension (AH) in children is under-diagnosed and often has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of hypertension in children at the University Hospital of Bouaké, with a view to improving the prognosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, analytical study carried out in the paediatrics department of Bouaké University Hospital. It concerned the medical records of children aged 4 to 15 hospitalised from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2020 for hypertension. Diagnosis was based on the simplified blood pressure guidelines of the Expert Consensus of the French Society of Hypertension. The variables studied were epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary. Quantitative variables were compared at the significance level p ≤ 0.05. Results: The hospital incidence of hypertension was 0.32% (69/21,642). The sex ratio was 0.72. 97.1% of the children were over five years of age. Oedema (49.3%) and breathing difficulties (20.2%) were the main reasons for consultation. Hypertension was classified as threatening (56.5%), confirmed (31.9%) and borderline (11.6%). The cause was renal in 66.7%, dominated by impure nephrotic syndrome (24.6%). Treatment for hypertension consisted mainly of a diuretic (79.7%) and a calcium channel blocker (47.8%). Outcome was favourable in 50.7% of cases. Mortality was 20.3%. No factor was significantly associated with death. Conclusion: Hypertension in children at Bouaké University Hospital is serious. The aetiology is mainly renal. Early diagnosis and management are key to improving prognosis.

Hypertension, Children, Renal Pathologies, Prognosis, Côte d’Ivoire

Azagoh-Kouadio, R. , Yeboua, Y. , Yao, K. , Yenan, J. , Akanji, I. and Assé, K. (2024) Epidemiological, Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Progressive Aspects of Arterial Hypertension in Children at the University Hospital Center of Bouaké (Côte d’Ivoire). Open Journal of Pediatrics, 14, 379-390. doi: 10.4236/ojped.2024.142037.