PS-C16-14: EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Abstract

Introduction: The world is currently facing the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of this pandemic on ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) and to investigate the effect of SARS-CoV2 infection on blood pressure (BP). Methods: We conducted a uni-centric retrospective study on the ERASME hospital ABPM register, from 2010 to 2021. The nycthemeral blood pressure (BP) profile of the pandemic period (January 2020 to October 2021) was compared with that of the previous 5 control periods from January 2010 to October 2019. We also determined the diurnal, nocturnal and 24-hour high blood pressure frequencies for each period. Furthermore, for the COVID-19 period, the BP profiles of COVID-19 positive and negative patients were compared. Finally, in COVID-19 positive patients, we compared ABPMs performed before COVID-19 infection with those performed post-infection. Results: After excluding incomplete and poor-quality ABPM, 16,977 ABPMs were selected. The COVID-19 period accounted for 10.58% of ABPMs compared with 15–20% for pré-COVID periods. We observed that diurnal (83.20 vs 81.20; p < 0.001), nocturnal (73.02 vs 71.09; p < 0.001) and 24-hour (79.51 vs 77.50; p < 0.001) diastolic BPs were higher in the COVID-19 period. In contrast, diurnal (131.64 vs 133.18; p < 0.001), nocturnal (121.07 vs 121.93; p = 0.034) and 24-hour (127.82 vs 128.97; p < 0.001) systolic BPs were lower during the pandemic. In logistic regression, diastolic diurnal (OR:1.58 [1.33–1.89]; p < 0.001), nocturnal (OR:1.18 [1.02 - 1.36]; p = 0.026) and 24-hour (OR:1.22 [1.01 - 1.49]; p = 0.044) hypertension were associated with the COVID-19 period, when adjusted for age, gender or history of hypertension. Also, diurnal (OR:0.63 [0.55–0.71]; p < 0.001) and nocturnal (OR:0.82 [0.72–0.93]; p = 0.002) systolic hypertension were less frequent in the COVID-19 period. When comparing BPs between COVID-19 positive and negative patients, there was no significant difference. When ABPMs were compared before and after infection in COVID-19 positive patients, diastolic diurnal (88.41 vs. 78.88; p = 0.001), nocturnal (77.91 vs. 70.55; p = 0.027) and 24-hour (84.57 vs. 75.99; p = 0.002) BPs were higher after COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: Our study shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, diastolic BP was higher and systolic BP was lower compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. We also observed an increase in diastolic BP after COVID-19 infection.