Asymptomatic Orthostatic Hypotension Research Articles

Treatment of orthostatic hypotension during acute inpatient rehabilitation after spinal cord injury: usual care versus anti-hypotensive therapy.

To compare pharmacological treatment of hypotension and orthostatic hypotension (OH) initiated based upon a blood pressure (BP) threshold, regardless of symptoms (TXT), to usual care pharmacological treatment of symptomatic hypotension (UC), during acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR) following spinal cord injury (SCI). Block randomization, based on the neurological level of injury as: cervical lesions (C1-C8); high thoracic lesions (T1-T5) and low thoracic lesions (T6-T12), was used to determine responses to the primary question "was the therapy session affected by low BP or concern for low BP development?". Study participants and therapists were unaware of group assignment. A total of 66 participants enrolled; 25 (38%) in the TXT group, 29 (44%) in the UC group, and 12 (18%) withdrew. Responses to the primary question were recorded for 32 participants, 15 in the TXT and 17 in the UC group. There was an average of 81±51 therapy sessions/participant in the TXT and 60±27 sessions/participant in the UC group. Of those therapy sessions, low BP or concerns for low BP affected an average of 9±8 sessions/participant in the TXT group and 10±12 sessions/participant in the UC group. Neither the total number of therapy sessions (p=0.16) nor group assignment (p=0.83) significantly predicted the number of sessions affected by low BP. These data are not conclusive but indicate that the treatment of asymptomatic hypotension and OH does not increase time spent in therapy compared to usual care treatment of symptomatic hypotension and OH in newly injured patients with SCI.

Orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease: Sit-to-stand vs. supine-to-stand protocol and clinical correlates

BackgroundScreening for orthostatic hypotension (OH) is integral in Parkinson's disease (PD) management, yet evidence-based guidelines on best practice methods for diagnosing OH in PD are lacking. MethodsWe investigated the frequency and correlates of OH, symptomatic OH, and neurogenic OH, in a large consecutively recruited PD cohort (n = 318), and compared the diagnostic performance of the sit-to-stand vs. the supine-to-stand blood pressure (BP) test. We evaluated the utility of continuous BP monitoring and tilt table testing in patients with postural symptoms or falls who were undetected to have OH with clinic-based BP measurements. Disease severity, fluid intake, orthostatic and overactive bladder symptoms, falls, comorbidities and medication history were evaluated. ResultsPatients’ mean age was 66.1 ± 9.5years, with mean disease duration 7.8 ± 5.5years. OH frequency was 35.8 % based on the supine-to-stand test. OH in PD was significantly associated with older age, lower body mass index, longer disease duration, worse motor, cognitive and overactive bladder symptoms and functional disabilities, falls, and lower fluid intake. A similar profile was seen with asymptomatic OH. Three quarters of OH were neurogenic, with the majority also having supine hypertension. The sit-to-stand test had a sensitivity of only 0.39. One quarter of patients were additionally diagnosed with OH during continuous BP monitoring. ConclusionsThe sit-to-stand test substantially underdiagnoses OH in PD, with the important practice implication that supine-to-stand measurements may be preferred. Screening for OH is warranted even in asymptomatic patients. Adequate fluid intake, treatment of urinary dysfunction and falls prevention are important strategies in managing PD patients with OH.

Synchronous Bilateral Brachial Blood Pressure Measurements Increased Orthostatic Hypotension Detection in the Elderly.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common clinical sign, but its detection rate is low, and it is difficult to repeat because there is no standardized screening method available. This study aimed to establish a method for detecting blood pressure and assess whether it could increase the OH detection rate in the elderly. From May to October, 2022, 178 patients with symptomatic OH and 286 subjects with asymptomatic OH were selected. BP from the bilateral brachial artery was measured using two electronic sphygmomanometers on both arms at the same time, in the order of supine, sitting, and standing at 0-3 min. OH should meet 20/10 mmHg, standing BP minus sitting BP. The OH detection rates were calculated and compared. The symptomatic OH group was more often older, slimmer, had lower ADL scores, and contained fewer smokers (all P< 0.05). The detection rate of the symptomatic OH group using the modified method was 59.55%, which was higher than that of the routine method (34.83% vs. 59.55%, P<0.05). The detection rate using the modified method in the OH group with asymptomatic OH was 20.63%, which was higher than that of the routine method (20.63% vs. 5.59%, P< 0.01). Synchronous measurement of bilateral brachial artery BP in supine, sitting, and standing positions increased the detection rate of OH in the elderly.

Asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension in synucleinopathies: to treat or not to treat?

Asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension in synucleinopathies: to treat or not to treat?

Screening for orthostatic hypotension in the geriatric population in a real-world primary care setting reduces prescribed antihypertensive medications.

To determine if outpatient screening for orthostatic hypotension (OH) in the geriatric population results in fewer prescribed antihypertensive medications and if a relationship exists between OH and specific pharmacologic classes of antihypertensive medications. Patients ≥ 65 years were screened for OH, defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 20 mm Hg or a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 10 mm Hg after standing for 3 minutes. Sitting blood pressure (BP) was measured after patients had been seated quietly in an exam room. Patients then stood for approximately 3 minutes at which time standing BP was recorded. OH prevalence was 18%. Standing DBP was significantly different between the two groups (70 mmHg ± 18, 80 mmHg ± 13, P = 0.007). Compared to patients without OH, patients with OH were more likely to have been previously prescribed beta-blockers (56% vs. 32%, P = 0.056) and potassium-sparing diuretics (11% vs. 1%, P = 0.026). Physicians discontinued an antihypertensive medication more often in patients who screened positive for OH than in to those who did not (17% vs. 4%, P = 0.037). Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently discontinued class of medication. Asymptomatic OH is prevalent in geriatric patients. Screening for OH may lead to de-escalation of antihypertensive regimen and a reduction in polypharmacy. Positive screening for OH was associated with de-prescribing of antihypertensive medications. Prior use of beta-blockers and potassium-sparing diuretics was most largely associated with OH.

Asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension and risk of falls in community-dwelling older people.

Many older people with orthostatic hypotension (OH) may not report typical symptoms of dizziness, light-headedness or unsteadiness. However, the relationships between OH and falls in the absence of typical symptoms are not yet established. Continuous orthostatic blood pressure (BP) was measured during active stand using a Finometer at Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing in participants aged ≥ 70years.OH, with and without dizziness, was defined as a sustained drop in systolic BP ≥ 20 and/or diastolic BP ≥ 10mm Hg at 30, 60 and 90seconds post-standing.The association between symptoms of dizziness and orthostatic BP was assessed with multi-level mixed-effects linear regression; logistic regression models assessed the longitudinal relationship between OH and falls at 6-year follow-up (Waves 2-5). Almost 11% (n = 934, mean age 75years, 51% female) had OH, two-thirds of whom were asymptomatic.Dizziness was not associated with systolic BP drop at 30 (β = 1.54 (-1.27, 4.36); p = 0.256), 60 (β = 2.64 (-0.19, 5.47); p = 0.476) or 90seconds (β = 2.02 (-0.91, 4.95); p = 0.176) after standing in adjusted models.Asymptomatic OH was independently associated with unexplained falls (odds ratio 2.01 [1.11, 3.65]; p = 0.022) but not explained falls (OR 0.93 [0.53, 1.62]; p = 0.797) during follow-up. Two-thirds of older people with OH did not report typical symptoms of light-headedness. Dizziness or unsteadiness after standing did not correlate with the degree of orthostatic BP drop or recovery. Participants with asymptomatic OH had a significantly higher risk of unexplained falls during follow-up, and this has important clinical implications for the assessment of older people with falls.

336 ASYMPTOMATIC ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION AND RISK OF FALLS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER PEOPLE

Abstract Background Many older people with Orthostatic Hypotension (OH) may not report typical symptoms of dizziness, light-headedness, or unsteadiness. However, the relationships between OH and falls in the absence of typical symptoms are not yet established. Methods Continuous orthostatic BP was measured during active stand using a Finometer at Wave 1 of TILDA in participants aged≥70 years. OH, with and without dizziness, was defined as a sustained drop in systolic BP≥20 and/or diastolic BP≥10 mm Hg at 30, 60 and 90 seconds post-standing. The association between symptoms of dizziness and orthostatic BP was assessed with multi-level mixed-effects linear regression; logistic regression models assessed the longitudinal relationship between OH and falls at 6-year follow-up (Waves 2-5). Results Almost 11% (n=934; mean age: 75 years; 51% female) had OH, two-thirds of whom were asymptomatic. Dizziness was not associated with systolic BP drop at 30 (β=1.54; –1.27, 4.36; p=0.256), 60 (β=2.6; –0.19, 5.47; p =0.476) or 90 (β=2.02; –0.91, 4.95; p=0.176) seconds after standing in adjusted models. Asymptomatic OH was independently associated with unexplained falls (Odds Ratio: 2.01; 1.11, 3.65; p=0.022) but not explained falls (OR 0.93; 0.53, 1.62; p=0.797) during follow-up. Conclusion Two-thirds of older people with OH did not report typical symptoms of light-headedness. Dizziness or unsteadiness after standing did not correlate with the degree of orthostatic BP drop or recovery. Participants with asymptomatic OH had a significantly higher risk of unexplained falls during follow-up, and this has important clinical implications for the assessment of older people with falls.

138 ORTHOSTATIC CEREBRAL OXYGENATION AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH SYMPTOMS, SUPINE HYPERTENSION AND ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION

Abstract Background Cerebral hypoperfusion is implicated as a cause of orthostatic symptoms such as dizziness and light-headedness. In older adults, Orthostatic Hypotension (OH) may co-exist with Supine Hypertension (SH), with greater cerebral dysfunction being reported in those with SH-OH. It remains unclear whether orthostatic symptoms are indicative of a higher cerebral hypotensive burden in older adults. This study assessed cerebral oxygenation in a cohort of older adults experiencing orthostatic symptoms, via an active stand challenge, as well as the relationship with OH and SH. Methods We utilized data from Wave 3 of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Cerebral oxygenation was continuously measured via near infrared-spectroscopy, and blood pressure via a Finometer. Logistic regression was employed to assess cerebral hemodynamics in the sample (N=2,737, mean age=65 years [range: 54-93 years]). Models were adjusted for covariates such as age, sex, standing speed, medications, and cardiovascular conditions. Results In the whole sample, 29% of participants reported symptoms, 13% experienced OH30 and 49% had SH. Those who reported symptoms were less likely to have supine hypertension (OR=0.73, p&amp;lt;0.001), but were more likely to experience OH30 (OR=1.69, p=0.005). They were also more likely to experience a larger initial drop in cerebral oxygenation upon standing (β=-0.07%, p=0.006). However, symptoms were not associated with an impaired recovery in cerebral oxygenation at 30 seconds, or 3 minutes after standing. Conclusion Supine hypertension is somewhat protective against symptoms, but there is still a relatively large discord between symptoms, cerebral oxygenation and OH during orthostasis. This implies asymptomatic OH may also be a risk factor for adverse outcome. There is a need for routine screening of OH and SH in older adults.

Impaired Cerebral Autoregulation in Parkinson's Disease: An Orthostatic Hypotension Analysis.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is an early non-motor manifestation of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the underlying mechanism of hemodynamic changes in patients with PD and OH remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic cerebral autoregulation changes in patients with PD with OH. Ninety patients with PD and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The patients' non-invasive blood pressure (BP) and cerebral blood flow velocity were simultaneously recorded at supine and orthostatic positions during the active standing test (AST). Transfer function analysis was used to determine autoregulatory parameters including gain [i.e., damping effect of dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) on the magnitude of BP oscillation] and phase difference (i.e., the time delay of the cerebral blood flow response to BP). Sixteen patients (17.8%) in the PD population were diagnosed with OH (PD-OH). The AST results were normal for 74 patients (82.2%) (PD-NOR). In the supine position, the PD-OH group had a lower phase degree than the PD-NOR group (50.3 ± 23.4 vs. 72.6 ± 32.2 vs. 68.9 ± 12.1, p = 0.020); however, no significant difference was found upon comparing with the HC group. In the orthostatic position, the normalized gain was significantly higher for the symptomatic OH group than for the asymptomatic OH group and HC group (1.50 ± 0.58 vs. 0.97 ± 0.29 vs. 1.10 ± 0.31, p = 0.019). A symptomatic OH in the PD population indicates an impaired cerebral autoregulation ability in the orthostatic position. Cerebral autoregulation tends to be impaired in the supine position in the OH population.

From Normal Cognition to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: Impact of Orthostatic Hypotension.

[Figure: see text].

Increased pulse wave velocity in persons with spinal cord injury: the effect of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Increased pulse wave velocity (PWV), a marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD), has been reported in otherwise healthy individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) compared with age-matched uninjured controls. Due to decentralized descending sympathetic vascular control, individuals with injuries above T6 are prone to orthostatic hypotension and, as a result, depend on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) to maintain orthostatic blood pressure (BP). The purpose of this study was to determine resting PWV, a noninvasive surrogate of central arterial stiffness, in individuals with cervical (C4-T1; n = 11) and thoracic (T6-T12; n = 11) SCI, compared with age-matched controls (controls; n = 11). Next, our aim was to describe group differences in BP, plasma norepinephrine (NE), and renin response to head-up tilt (HUT). Finally, we sought to determine the relationship between PWV and the orthostatic change in BP, NE, and the plasma renin during HUT among the groups. PWV was significantly increased in both cervical (8.81 ± 1.91 m/s) and thoracic (7.36 ± 1.58 m/s) SCI compared with the controls (5.53 ± 0.95 m/s; P < 0.05). The change from supine to 60° HUT in BP and NE was significantly reduced and change in plasma renin was significantly increased in the cervical group compared with the thoracic and control groups. Group affiliation and change in plasma renin were significant predictors of PWV (R2 = 0.63, P = 0.001). These data suggest that dependency on the RAAS for orthostatic BP maintenance may be associated with increased PWV and risk of CVD in the SCI population.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our novel findings suggest that increased arterial stiffness in individuals with SCI may be due to greater dependency on the RAAS to maintain hemodynamic stability during an orthostatic challenge. Asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension can occur in persons with SCI during transition from the supine to the seated position and during other upright activities of daily living; however, it is seldom addressed by clinicians.

Orthostatic Hypotension Is Associated With Cognitive Decline in Parkinson Disease.

Introduction: Cognitive impairment and orthostatic hypotension (OH) are common, disabling Parkinson disease (PD) symptoms that are strongly correlated. Whether the relationship is causative or associative remains unknown. OH may occur without classic orthostatic symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion (i.e., lightheadedness or dizziness). Whether longitudinal differences in cognition occur between symptomatic and asymptomatic OH patients has not been explored.Objectives: We characterized the prevalence of OH, orthostatic symptoms, and cognitive impairment among PD patients and compared cognition between patients with and without OH, and between patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic OH.Methods: Our cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study included 226 clinically diagnosed PD patients who underwent repeated standardized evaluations. Among these, 62 had longitudinal follow-up of > 3.5 years. We compared longitudinal Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores between patients remaining OH-free (n = 14) and those without baseline OH that developed OH (n = 28), matched for age, sex, education, and PD duration. We also compared MoCA scores between groups with asymptomatic OH (n = 13) and symptomatic OH (n = 13) matched for the same factors.Results: In the cross-sectional analysis, OH patients had worse cognition. In the longitudinal analysis (mean follow-up = 5.3 years), OH patients had worse cognitive decline (p = 0.027). Cognitive impairment was similar between asymptomatic and symptomatic OH patients in the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.Conclusions: OH is associated with cognitive impairment in PD. Further studies are needed in larger cohorts to expand our findings and to determine whether treating OH can prevent or delay cognitive dysfunction.

Orally inhaled levodopa (CVT-301) for early morning OFF periods in Parkinson's disease

BackgroundCVT-301 (Inbrija) is a self-administered orally inhaled levodopa approved for the intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with carbidopa/levodopa. Prior studies only evaluated CVT-301 after the first ON of the day. Objective and methodsThe objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CVT-301 for early morning OFF. Using a randomized, double-blind, 2-way crossover design, eligible patients in the morning OFF state (having not received PD medication overnight) received a single dose of CVT-301 84 mg or placebo on 2 dosing days, immediately after their first morning oral carbidopa/levodopa dose. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events, vital signs, and patient- and examiner-reported dyskinesia. An exploratory efficacy assessment was examiner-rated time-to-ON with carbidopa/levodopa + CVT-301 vs carbidopa/levodopa + placebo. ResultsOf the 36 patients (mean age 62.9 years) who enrolled and completed the study, 9 (25.0%) reported treatment-emergent adverse events following CVT-301 administration; 4 (11.1%) reported treatment-emergent adverse events following placebo. The most common adverse event was cough (4 [11.1%] for CVT-301 vs 1 [2.8%] for placebo), which was typically mild and transient. Incidence of asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension (CVT-301, 6; placebo, 7) and examiner-rated dyskinesia were similar for both (36–39% mild, 3–6% moderate, and 0% severe). Median time-to-ON was 25.0 min following carbidopa/levodopa + CVT-301 and 35.5 min following carbidopa/levodopa + placebo (P = 0.26). At 30 min, more patients had turned ON following carbidopa/levodopa + CVT-301 administration (66.7%), compared with carbidopa/levodopa + placebo (44.5%) (P = 0.040). ConclusionSingle doses of CVT-301 84 mg administered with oral carbidopa/levodopa for early morning OFF symptoms were well-tolerated, with no notable safety concerns.

Heart rate variability in spinal cord injury: Asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension is a confounding variable

Study designobservational study. ObjectivesHeart rate variability (HRV) studies have shown that the low-frequency (LF) domain is decreased in postural challenge of spinal cord injury (SCI). However, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding HRV with postural challenge. We believed that asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension (OH) may contribute to the discrepancies in the literature. We also evaluated the time-domain parameters of HRV to evaluate for changes in SCI postural challenge. We looked at the association of Frequency and Time-domain HRV parameters to blood pressure (BP) and postural challenge in SCI based on groups with and without OH. SettingSCI clinic. MethodsPatients from SCI clinic were enrolled and 5-minute electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were performed before and after a postural challenge from supine to sitting position with blood pressure (BP) recordings at each time point. Between and within group analyses were performed based on tetraplegia, paraplegia, and the presence of asymptomatic OH. ResultsThere were 6 controls and 18 SCI subjects, 4 with OH based on change in diastolic BP. After postural challenge, mean heart rate was lower in tetraplegia compared to controls in all groupings. When OH was removed from the groups, total power was consistently reduced in tetraplegia compared to paraplegia across all positions. There were both time- and frequency-domain differences observed in SCI with OH compared to SCI without. ConclusionsAutonomic variability is increased in SCI with OH and can lead to misinterpretation of findings if asymptomatic OH is included in samples. Our data suggest that there are frequency- and time-domain differences in HRV variables in those with OH compared to those without. Future HRV studies should account for asymptomatic OH and include analyses of the time-domain variables in postural challenge of SCI.

Longitudinal Association Between Orthostatic Hypotension at 30 Seconds Post-Standing and Late-Life Depression.

There is an established cross-sectional association between orthostatic hypotension (OH) and late-life depression. The aim of this observational study was to clarify the longitudinal association between baseline symptomatic OH (sOH-30) and incident depression in a sample of >3000 older people without baseline depression (mean age: 62 years at baseline). This study was embedded within the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing using data from waves 1 to 3, collected between 2009 and 2014. At 2- and 4-year follow-up, a score ≥9 on the 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used to define incident depression. sOH-30 was defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure ≥20 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥10 mm Hg at 30 seconds post-standing in conjunction with orthostatic symptoms, such as dizziness, using beat-to-beat measurements. Almost one fifth (proportion, 18%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 16-20) of the study sample had sOH-30. One tenth (proportion, 10%; 95% CI, 9-12) had incident depression. Participants with incident depression were twice as likely to have sOH-30 at baseline compared with those without incident depression (linear regression, 13% [95% CI, 8-19] versus 7% [95% CI, 6-8]). Weighted logistic regression models demonstrated that sOH-30 predicted incident depression with an odds ratio of 1.90 (95% CI, 1.15-3.15) after controlling for covariates, including subthreshold depression, hypotension, cognitive impairment, and antidepressant use. Asymptomatic OH at 30 seconds and initial OH did not predict depression. This study demonstrates that sOH-30 predicts incident depression in a population-representative sample of older people and may, therefore, represent a potentially modifiable risk factor for late-life depression.

Orthostatic hypotension acutely impairs executive functions in Parkinson's disease.

Orthostatic hypotension is a frequent non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease, with negative prognostic role on cognitive functions. Here we measured the acute effects of orthostatic hypotension on executive functions in Parkinson's disease patients devoid of hypertension, carotid artery stenosis, and significant chronic cerebrovascular pathology. Measurements were carried out during regular visits in outpatient setting. Twenty-eight Parkinson's disease patients were recruited and studied along scheduled outpatient visits. They were divided into two groups (n = 14 each) based on the presence or lack of orthostatic hypotension. This was diagnosed according to international guidelines. All patients were submitted to the Stroop's test and to the phonological and semantic verbal fluency test after 10-min resting in supine position and immediately upon standing in upright position. Testing lasted less than 5min in either position. In upright position, subjects with orthostatic hypotension displayed significantly worse performances at the Stroop's test word reading time (22.1 ± 4.1 vs. 14.9 ± 4.0s), interference time (56.1 ± 12.3 vs. 41.4 ± 11.8s), and number of errors at the interference section (5.8 ± 3.2 vs. 1.3 ± 2.1) as compared to those without orthostatic hypotension. These results demonstrate that worsening of attentive function upon standing can be measured in Parkinson's disease patients with orthostatic hypotension during routine outpatient visits. These findings suggest that clinically asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease patients may acutely worsen neuropsychological performances with possible negative impact on daily functioning.

Symptomatic orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease patients: Prevalence, associated factors and its impact on balance confidence

BackgroundOrthostatic hypotension (OH) is a commonly reported sign of the cardiovascular autonomic dysfunctions associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients might suffer from a variety of the clinical symptoms of OH, including dizziness, lightheadedness, or problems with vision and fatigue. ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, symptomatic orthostatic hypotension (OH) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to identify any relationships between the clinical symptoms of OH and balance confidence in this patient population. MethodsSymptomatic OH was defined as a systolic or diastolic BP fall of ≥20 or ≥10mmHg respectively, within 3min of standing and an Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire (OHQ) score of more than zero. Factors related to symptomatic OH were identified from a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Pearson's correlation test was used to reveal any relationships between the clinical symptoms of OH and a patient's confidence in their ability to balance, assessed using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale. Results100 Thai PD patients were consecutively recruited into this study. The prevalence of symptomatic OH was 18%, asymptomatic OH was 4%, while 78% were patients without OH. Factors associated with symptomatic OH were age (OR, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.003–1.115, p=0.038) and hypertension (OR, 95%CI: 6.16, 1.171–32.440, p=0.032). A significant and negative correlation (r=−0.229, p=0.022) between OHQ composite scores and item 3 of the ABC scale (picking up slippers from floor), one of the movements in a vertical orientation, was found. ConclusionElderly PD patients and with a co-morbidity of essential hypertension should be closely evaluated for the presence of symptomatic OH. In addition, they should be advised to change positions slowly, especially those in a vertical orientation.

Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: A prospective cohort study.

Dysautonomia is a frequent and disabling complication of PD, with an estimated prevalence of 30-40% and a significant impact on the quality of life. To evaluate the rate of progression of dysautonomia and, in particular, orthostatic hypotension, in a cohort of unselected PD patients, and assess the extent to which the progression of dysautonomia affects activities of daily living, health-related quality of life, and health care utilization in PD. We recruited 131 consecutive patients into a 12-month, prospective, observational cohort study. Clinical measures included the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society/UPDRS, the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson Disease-Autonomic, the Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms Assessment, and orthostatic blood pressure measurements. Health care utilization was quantified as the number of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and outpatient clinic evaluations. The overall severity of autonomic symptoms, as measured by the the Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms Assessment total score, worsened by 20% over 12 months (P < 0.001), with an overall increase in orthostatic hypotension prevalence from 31.1% to 46.7% (P < 0.001). Worsening of autonomic symptoms was independently associated with deterioration in daily living activities (P = 0.021) and health-related quality of life (P = 0.025) adjusting for disease duration, cognitive impairment, and motor severity. Regardless of symptomatic status, orthostatic hypotension was associated with greater deterioration in daily living activities, health care utilization, and falls (P ≤ 0.009) compared to patients without orthostatic hypotension. The severity of autonomic symptoms progressed by 20% over 1 year and was independently associated with impairments in daily living activities and health-related quality of life. Symptomatic and asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension were both associated with increased prevalence of falls and health care utilization. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PP.03.12] SIGNIFICANT INTER-ARM DIFFERENCE IN BLOOD PRESSURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND ABDOMINAL OBESITY IN VERY ELDERLY HYPERTENSIVES

Objective: Inter-arm difference in blood pressure (BP) and orthostatic BP response have important prognostic significance in hypertensive patients. However, data on prevalence, predictors and clinical associations of those phenomena are controversial. The aim was to investigate inter-arm difference, orthostatic response and to establish their clinical associations in very elderly hypertensives. Design and method: 67 hypertensive subjects older than 80 years (mean age 84,1 ± 3,1 years, 25,5% male, mean clinic brachial SBP 134,8 ± 23,2 mm Hg) were included in cross-sectional study. Simultaneous bilateral brachial BP measurements were performed using oscillometric validated cuff-based device in supine position and then after 2 minutes of standing. Central pulse waveform characteristics and arterial stiffness parameters were estimated by BPLab Vasotens system. Results: The median of inter-arm difference in SBP (IADSBP) was 4,00 (2,5; 9,0) mm Hg. 25,4% participants had IADSBP of 10 mm Hg and more. Compared to others, those with IADSBP of 10 mmHg and more had significantly higher body mass index (31,4 ± 5,7 vs 28,5 ± 4,1 kg/m2, p < 0,05), waist circumference (116,3 ± 13,6 vs 107,7 ± 11,2 cm, p < 0,05) and pulse wave velocity in aorta (11,7 ± 1,5 vs 10,8 ± 1,7 m/s, p < 0,05). Positive correlation between IADSBP and augmentation index was revealed (r = 0,277, p < 0,05). Patients with asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension (OH) (22,4% participants) had higher levels of brachial SBP and pulse pressure (PP) while central BPs and markers of arterial stiffness did not differ from those without OH. Conclusions: Significant IADSBP is associated with increased arterial stiffness and abdominal obesity in very elderly hypertensive patients, whereas there was no evidence of interrelation between orthostatic response and arterial stiffness in such patients

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in very elderly patients: Comparison of in-hospital versus home follow-up results.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is frequently diagnosed in very elderly hospitalized patients. Accurate diagnosis of hypertension is challenging in the hospital environment, due to the "white coat effect," and both overtreatment and undertreatment can adversely affect clinical outcome. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has the potential to avoid the "white coat effect" and accurately guide the management of hypertension. However, effects of the hospital environment on ABPM are unknown in the very elderly. We set out to enroll 45 patients, age ≥70 years, with elevated conventional BP during hospitalization in this observational study. It was prespecified by protocol to assess initially the difference between 24-hour BP during hospital-admission and home follow-up. Subsequent analysis should investigate the change in anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-A [HADS-A]) after discharge, the correlation with change in 24-hour BP after discharge, and the prevalence of orthostatic hypertension. Thirty-one patients were included in the final analysis (age 83.5 ± 4.4 years; 71% female). Twenty-four-hour BP decreased significantly after hospital discharge (systolic from 133.5 ± 15.6 to 126.2 ± 14.4 mm Hg [millimeter of mercury], P = .008; diastolic from 71.0 ± 9.0 to 68.3 ± 8.6 mm Hg, P = .046). Anxiety level (HADS-A) decreased significantly after discharge, from 7.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.0-13.8) to 5.0 (IQR: 4.0-8.0, P = .012). The change in anxiety was a predictor of change in systolic BP after discharge (F[1,20] = 5.9, P = .025). Sixty-one percent of the patients had significant orthostatic hypotension during hospital stay. In conclusion, 24-hour BP in very elderly patients is lower in the home environment than during hospitalization. This phenomenon seems to be directly linked to a lower anxiety-level at home. Reassessing hypertension at home may decrease the need for (intensified) antihypertensive medical therapy in a substantial number of patients. This is particularly important in the very elderly, who have a high prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension, making them prone to hazardous effects of antihypertensive therapy.