Role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in hypertensive patients having controlled office blood pressure

Background and objectivesAmbulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring has become useful in the diagnosis and management of hypertensive individuals. In this study we tried to know the role of office and ambulatory BP in treated hypertensive patients.Methods and patientsProspective cohort of 561 treated hypertensive patients were enrolled in the study. Hypertension definitions were according to JNC 8 classification. Office BP and ambulatory BP monitoring was done according to defined protocol.ResultsFrom a subgroup of 158 treated hypertensive patients, 91(16.2%) patients were having white coat hypertension (p value 0.00 by Pearson chi square test). In a subset of 403 patients who were having controlled BP on the day of enrolment as well as on the day of attaching ambulatory BP monitor; 98 (17.4%) patients were having masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH). In addition there was very significant percentage of non-dippers and reverse dippers. In our study we found that office BP has a moderate to low specificity and sensitivity and low negative predictive value for overall control in treated hypertensive patients.ConclusionAmbulatory BP monitoring should be included in the management protocol of treated hypertensive patients, for the optimal BP control.     

Renal sympathetic denervation in resistant hypertension: The association between vitamin D and positive early response in systolic blood pressure

Aims and objectivesVitamin D deficiency is a common finding and there is a suggested association with hypertension. Resistant hypertension is a clinical problem observed in 5–30% of hypertensive patients. Renal denervation (RDN) has been used for patients with resistant hypertension and has proven to lower blood pressure. Our primary goal was to assess the vitamin D serum concentration as a predictor of blood pressure response to RDN in highly selected patients.MethodsThis prospective, nonrandomized, single-center study included 24 patients treated with RDN. Based on their one-year response after RDN, patients were classified as responders or non-responders at six months or at 12 months.ResultsThe median follow-up was 52 months (range, 14-91 months). After RDN, 17 patients (70.8%) had a reduction >5 mmHg in the mean systolic blood pressure, at the first six months of follow-up. At 12 months, 20 patients (83.3%) were responders. Vitamin D levels at baseline (15.1±4.8 vs. 24.2±8.8 ng/ml) and at six months (16.6±7.2 vs. 25±9.2 ng/ml) were lower in early non-responders compared to early responders (p=0.008), without significant variation during follow-up. Even though Vitamin D levels were lower in the total responder's group, no statistically significant differences were found (p=ns).ConclusionIn patients with resistant hypertension, low vitamin D concentrations were associated with an absence of early response to RDN.     

Triceps skinfold thickness and body mass index and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: Evidence from a multigenerational cohort study

BackgroundPre-pregnancy obesity is a well-recognized risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). There is a continuity of obesity from childhood to adolescence and then adulthood. However, it is unknown whether early childhood obesity predicts GDM.MethodsWe investigated the prospective association of childhood triceps skinfold thickness and body mass index (BMI) with GDM risk among women from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a multigenerational cohort study. A multiple logistic regression model was applied to estimate the odds of experiencing GDM by childhood skinfold thickness and BMI.ResultsOut of 552 women in the study for whom data were available on triceps skinfold thickness and BMI at average age 5 (range 3–7) years old, 52 (9.42%) developed GDM by average age 30 (range 28–33) years. We found that the risk of developing GDM was greater among women who had greater skinfold thickness but not greater BMI at age 5 years. Women who were classified as overweight or obese based on skinfold thickness at age 5 years had an increased odds ratio of GDM compared to women who had normal skinfold thickness. This association remained significant after adjustment for the potential confounders (OR 2.74; 95% confidence interval = 1.28–5.86).ConclusionThe risk of developing GDM was associated with higher skinfold thickness at age 5 years.     

醛固酮受体拮抗剂螺内酯治疗难治性高血压疗效和安全性的Meta分析

背景难治性高血压是一种特殊类型的高血压，病因复杂，治疗难度大，更易引起靶器官损害。近年研究发现，在难治性高血压患者三联常用降压药物治疗基础上添加小剂量螺内酯能有效控制血压。但这些研究规模普遍较小，其有效性与安全性尚需进一步验证。目的系统评价螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的疗效及安全性。方法计算机检索PubMed、Web of Science、The Cochrane Library、中国知网、维普网、万方数据知识服务平台，筛选螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的随机对照研究，检索时间为建库至2021-05-03。由2名研究员独立筛选文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究的偏倚风险后，采用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果共纳入20项研究。9项研究未报告随机化分组方法，1项研究按纳入顺序编号奇偶分配（错误的随机化方法），7项研究未描述是否采用盲法，4项研究为开放标签，3项研究描述了分配隐藏，1项研究结果数据不完整、未报告对照组治疗后的安全性指标。Meta分析结果显示，疗效方面：与安慰剂和空白对照相比，螺内酯降低诊室血压、24 h动态血压、日间血压及夜间血压的效果好（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，螺内酯降低诊室收缩压、24 h动态血压、日间收缩压、夜间收缩压及家庭自测收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，螺内酯降低日间血压及夜间收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）。安全性方面：与安慰剂相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾及血肌酐水平高（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾水平升高（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，应用螺内酯患者的血肌酐水平升高（P<0.05）。结论螺内酯治疗难治性高血压是相对有效及安全的，但受纳入研究数量和质量的限制，该结论尚需更多高质量研究予以证实。