Influence of SPRINT Study Type Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurements on Hypertension Diagnosis in Kidney Transplant Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We compare conventional office blood pressure measurements with automated SPRINT-study type readings in kidney transplant recipients in order to determine the impact of the white coat effect in a prospective observational study.

METHODS

Adult patients with a functional renal transplant not dependent on dialysis were eligible. Readings were taken in the office in presence of the physician with an oscillometric method. Afterwards, readings were repeated with the patients resting alone in a quiet examination room with an automated blood pressure monitor. After 5 minutes of rest, 3 readings were taken at 1 minute intervals, with an average of these 3 readings calculated by the monitor.

RESULTS

120 patients with an average age of 58.5±12.2 years were included. Mean time since transplantation was 7.95±6.48 years. Mean eGFR (CKD-EPI) was 48.5±18.3 ml/min. SPRINT-study type readings were significantly lower than office readings (139.01±18.45 vs. 149.00±21.02 mmHg systolic, p<0.001; 80.88±11.63 mmHg vs. 84.35±12.41 mmHg diastolic, p <0.001). Correlation analysis for many potentially influencing factors (diabetes mellitus, transplant vintage, proteinuria, age, immunosuppression, donor type) was not significant but obese women were significantly more prone to white coat hypertension.

CONCLUSION

Automated office blood pressure measurements should be considered the method of choice in kidney transplant recipients.