The 10-Year Follow-Up Check for Hypertensive Children Found in Mass Urine Screening Program in Taiwan: A Case-Control Study

Purpose: This study investigated the outcome of childhood hypertension among children urine screened positive for proteinuria, glucosuria and/or hematuria. Methods: Between 1992 and 2000, an islandwide mass urine screening program for proteinuria, glucosuria, and hematuria was conducted annually for all students aged 6–18 years in Taiwan Province. Among 732 students also found to be hypertensive in Taipei County, 164 were invited for a follow-up check in 2006 for their present health status. They were compared with 97 good-friend controls (invited by cases) for blood pressure, anthropometric and lipid measures, etc. Results: Compared with controls, cases were younger but had greater body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, and lipidemia prevalence. The stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that cases were at greater risk than controls for chronic disease (odds ratio [OR]=3.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.17–9.12), low high-density lipoprotein (OR=1.76, 95% CI=1.01–3.09), pre-hypertension (OR=2.97, 95% CI=1.43–6.15), and greater waist to hip ratio (OR=6.46, 95% CI=1.87–22.3). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that children screened with hypertension remain at elevated risk of having chronic disease and risk factors associated with hypertension.