Hypertension and narrowing of the renal arteries in infancy.

The clinical histories of two infants who had severe hypertension and stenoses of the renal arteries are reported. In both children blood pressure fell significantly after surgical correction of renal ischemia. However, both infants had persistent mild hypertension for several months after surgical treatment. Similar results were found in other infants with renovascular hypertension, reported previously (11 cases). The mortality rate in this total group of 13 infants reviewed was high if renal ischemia was not corrected surgically (4/4). The reason why some infants have persistent hypertension after apparently adequate surgical relief of renal ischemia is not known.