Abstract

Objective: Several studies and meta-analyses have reported that interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IAD) in the upper limbs is associated with risks such as all-cause mortality and cardiovascular diseases. However, few results have examined the usefulness of IAD as an index of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension (EHT). We investigated the relationship between IAD and vascular structures and evaluated the usefulness of IAD as an index of hypertensive organ damages in EHT patients. Design and method: In 71 untreated EHT patients (48 males, average age 56 ± 13 years) without chronic kidney disease (urinary albumin excretion less than 300 mg / g of creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 mL / min / 1.73m2 or more), blood sampling, 24-hour urine collection, and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring were performed. Next, as cardiovascular structural indices, Next, as indicators of vascular structure, the intima media thickness of carotid artery (IMT) was measured by ultrasonography, and the cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) and ankle brachial index (ABI) were measured by using the Vascular Screening System VaSera VS-1000 (Fukuda Denshi, Tokyo, Japan) device. The absolute value of the difference between the left and right blood pressure measured at the same time was defined as IAD. Results: IAD was not associated with age, BMI, or systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. IAD increased accompanying with a decrease in creatinine clearance (r = -0.25, p < 0.05). IAD correlated positively with IMT (r = 0.24, p < 0.05) and negatively with ABI (r = -0.45, p < 0.01), whereas it did not associate with CAVI. Furthermore, in multiple regression analysis using any of IMT, ABI and creatinine clearance as objective variables, and conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis and IAD as explanatory variables, IAD became an independent determinant factor for IMT, ABI and creatinine clearance. Conclusions: In EHT patients, IAD was associated with decreased renal function and vascular abnormalities. IAD was considered to be a useful index as an initial screening for latent hypertensive organ damages in EHT patients.

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