Lisinopril in paediatric medicine: a retrospective chart review of long-term treatment in children

Objective. To investigate the antihypertensive efficacy, dosing, tolerability and effects on growth of lisinopril (off label-use) in paediatric patients during long-term treatment. Design. We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from 123 patients treated with lisinopril in a paediatric nephrology clinic over a 9.3-year period. Patients were categorised by age group and predominant clinical diagnosis: hypertension (n=59), renal parenchymal disease (n=27), diabetes mellitus (n=33) and miscellaneous (n=4). Results. The vast majority were Caucasian (93%) and boys (66%). Mean duration of treatment was 2.0 years. Age at start of treatment ranged from two months to 17.7 years. Mean lisinopril starting and final doses were 0.105 mg/kg/day for hypertensive patients and 0.108 mg/kg/day for patients with renal disease, respectively. The most common adverse event was hypotension (8.6% of the patients). Haematology and serum biochemistry profiles were unaffected by lisinopril. Growth was not different from data recorded by Belgian population studies. In 29 of the 47 hypertensive patients who received lisinopril monotherapy, comparing blood pressure (BP) at baseline and after six months' treatment, mean reductions in systolic/diastolic BP were 19/18 mmHg. Conclusions. Lisinopril was well tolerated in paediatric patients. Doses of 0.1 mg/kg/day produced clinically significant BP reduction in hypertensive patients.