The great East Japan earthquake: blood pressure control in patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND

At 1446 on 11 March 2011, northeastern Japan was struck by a major earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale. There have been several reports of transient blood pressure increases after a major earthquake, but the impact of a major earthquake on blood pressure in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has not been fully investigated.

METHODS

Changes in clinic blood pressure following the earthquake were investigated in 132 hypertensive patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD who were residents of Fukushima City.

RESULTS

Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly elevated 1-3 weeks after the earthquake compared with before the earthquake (134 ± 19 mm Hg vs. 138 ± 20 mm Hg, P = 0.02 for systolic; 76 ± 13 mm Hg vs. 79 ± 12 mm Hg, P = 0.01 for diastolic), and these values returned to baseline by 5-7 weeks after the earthquake. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified male sex (odds ratio (OR), 0.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14-0.86; P = 0.02), mean blood pressure at baseline (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96; P < 0.01), and sympatholytic medications, such as α-blockers, β-blockers, or central sympatholytics (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.07-0.76; P = 0.01), as independent factors related to elevation of mean blood pressure 1-3 weeks after the earthquake in CKD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood pressure was significantly increased after a major earthquake in hypertensive patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD. During the first 3 weeks after the earthquake, blood pressure control was associated with the use of sympatholytic medications.