A double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of the effectiveness and safety of lisinopril for children with hypertension

BACKGROUND: Despite widespread use in hypertensive children, the safety and effectiveness of lisinopril had not been previously tested in a controlled study. METHODS: This study explored the dose-response relationship and safety of lisinopril in 115 hypertensive children, aged 6 to 16 years. Patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion for 2 weeks to one of three doses by body weight at baseline: <50 kg: low (0.625 mg), middle (2.5 mg), high (20 mg), and > or =50 kg: low (1.25 mg), middle (5 mg), high (40 mg). The dose-response for lisinopril was evaluated by analyzing the change in slope in sitting diastolic and systolic blood pressure (BP) by dose after 2 weeks of therapy compared to baseline. Patients then entered a double-blind withdrawal, where patients were either switched to placebo or continued their current lisinopril treatment for up to 2 weeks. Patients completed period II when their BP returned to baseline. Antihypertensive effectiveness, between placebo and lisinopril was determined for all doses. Adverse events were carefully monitored. RESULTS: There was a dose-response relationship between the lowest and each of the higher doses of lisinopril. Blood pressure in the placebo group increased after withdrawal of lisinopril. The dose-response relationship was consistent across all subgroups (ie, age, Tanner stage, ethnicity, gender). CONCLUSIONS: Lisinopril, once daily, is an effective and well-tolerated antihypertensive in children aged 6 to 16 years. An initial dose of 0.07 mg/kg, administered once daily, effectively lowered BP within 2 weeks. Blood pressure was reduced in a dose-dependent fashion.