Elevated Blood Pressure in Hospitalized Children Predicts True Elevated Blood Pressure Outpatient

OBJECTIVES: To determine if elevated blood pressure (EBP) in hospitalized children accurately predicts EBP outpatient. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective chart review was conducted at a large hospital system in Northeastern United States. Mean blood pressures during hospitalizations were classified as elevated or not elevated, by using the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2017 parameters. Mean blood pressure was then compared with each patient's mean blood pressure measured 3 times postdischarge. The data were analyzed to determine if inpatient EBP is an accurate predictor of outpatient EBP. RESULTS: Of 5367 hospitalized children, 656 (12.2%) had EBP inpatient. Inpatient EBP was highly predictive of outpatient EBP, with a positive predictive value of 96% and negative predictive value of 98%. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosing hospitalized children with EBP, as defined by the AAP 2017 guidelines, accurately predicts true EBP outpatient.