[Differential pressure as an independent factor of cardiovascular risk]. / La presión diferencial como factor independiente de riesgo cardiovascular.

OBJECTIVES: To confirm that high differential pressure (DP) supposes greater risk of ischaemic cardiopathy and to assess whether it is also an independent risk factor of suffering a cerebrovascular accident. DESIGN: An analytical, observational, retrospective and longitudinal study with historic cohorts. SETTING: Urban population of about 18 000 inhabitants. PARTICIPANTS: 300 patients aged between 15 and 75 with hypertension of > or =2 years evolution, who have had their blood pressure taken by nurses 4 or more times (excluding casualty) and have not suffered a cardiovascular event (CVE), whether coronary accident, cerebrovascular accident or peripheral vasculopathy. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The history relating to cardiovascular risk was recorded: lipaemia, obesity, tobacco dependency, diabetes mellitus, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). These factors were considered present if their diagnosis preceded the CVE diagnosis. They were placed in 2 groups, depending on the degree of differential pressure: "high" if >60 mm Hg and "not high" if (3/4)60 mm Hg. They were analysed for intention to treat over 10 years, with the appearance or not of a CVE as a response variable. RESULTS: 300 participants (73.3% women), 150 exposed to risk and 150 not exposed. The initial analysis showed significant differences between the 2 groups for age (P<.0001), diabetes (P<.0001), and LVH (P<.001). After logistic regression, the OR of suffering LVH was 2.38 (95% CI, 1.19-4.74) in the group with high DP; the OR of ischaemic cardiopathy, 2.84 (95% CI, 1.16-6.96); and of cerebrovascular accident, 2.70 (95% CI, 1.09-6.68). There were no significant differences for peripheral arteriopathy. CONCLUSIONS: DP was confirmed as an independent factor of cardiovascular risk and, despite the limitations of the study, it was pointed to as a possible independent factor of cerebrovascular risk.

La presión diferencial como factor independiente de riesgo cardiovascular / Differential pressure as an independent factor of cardiovascular risk

Objetivo. Confirmar que la presión diferencial alta supone más riesgo de cardiopatía isquémica y valorar si también es factor de riesgo independiente de padecer un accidente cerebrovascular. Diseño. Estudio longitudinal, analítico y observacional, retrospectivo de cohortes históricas. Emplazamiento. Población urbana de aproximadamente 18.000 habitantes. Participantes. Se incluyó en el estudio a 300 pacientes de 15 a 75 años de edad con hipertensión de 2 años de evolución o más, en los que constaban 4 o más determinaciones de presión arterial por enfermería (excluyendo urgencias) y que no habían padecido un episodio cardiovascular (ECV): coronariopatía, accidente cerebrovascular o vasculopatía periférica. Mediciones principales. Se registraron los antecedentes asociados a riesgo cardiovascular: dislipemia, obesidad, tabaquismo, diabetes mellitus e hipertrofia ventricular izquierda, y se consideraron presentes si su diagnóstico precedía al del ECV. Se realizó una clasificación en 2 grupos en función del grado de presión diferencial: alta si superaba los 60 mmHg (pacientes expuestos) y no alta si era >= 60 mmHg o inferior (pacientes no expuestos). Se realizó un análisis por intención de tratar durante 10 años señalando la aparición o no de ECV como variable de respuesta. Resultados. De los 300 participantes (un 73,3% mujeres), 150 se consideraron expuestos y 150 no expuestos. El análisis inicial mostró diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos respecto a la edad (p < 0,0001), presencia de diabetes (p < 0,0001) y de hipertrofia ventricular izquierda (p < 0,001). Tras la regresión logística, la odds ratio para padecer un ECV fue 2,38 (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 1,19-4,74) en el grupo de presión diferencial elevada. Para la cardiopatía isquémica la odds ratio fue de 2,84 (IC del 95%, 1,16-6,96) y para el accidente cerebrovascular, de 2,70 (IC del 95%, 1,09-6,68). Para arteriopatía periférica no hubo diferencias significativas. Conclusiones. Se confirma la presión diferencial como factor independiente de riesgo cardiovascular y se apunta, a pesar de las limitaciones del estudio, la posibilidad de que también sea un factor independiente de riesgo cerebrovascular

Objectives. To confirm that high differential pressure (DP) supposes greater risk of ischaemic cardiopathy and to assess whether it is also an independent risk factor of suffering a cerebrovascular accident. Design. An analytical, observational, retrospective and longitudinal study with historic cohorts. Setting. Urban population of about 18 000 inhabitants. Participants. 300 patients aged between 15 and 75 with hypertension of >=2 years evolution, who have had their blood pressure taken by nurses 4 or more times (excluding casualty) and have not suffered a cardiovascular event (CVE), whether coronary accident, cerebrovascular accident or peripheral vasculopathy. Main measurements. The history relating to cardiovascular risk was recorded: lipaemia, obesity, tobacco dependency, diabetes mellitus, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). These factors were considered present if their diagnosis preceded the CVE diagnosis. They were placed in 2 groups, depending on the degree of differential pressure: "high" if >60 mm Hg and "not high" if ¾60 mm Hg. They were analysed for intention to treat over 10 years, with the appearance or not of a CVE as a response variable. Results. 300 participants (73.3% women), 150 exposed to risk and 150 not exposed. The initial analysis showed significant differences between the 2 groups for age (P<.0001), diabetes (P<.0001), and LVH (P<.001). After logistic regression, the OR of suffering LVH was 2.38 (95% CI, 1.19-4.74) in the group with high DP; the OR of ischaemic cardiopathy, 2.84 (95% CI, 1.16-6.96); and of cerebrovascular accident, 2.70 (95% CI, 1.09-6.68). There were no significant differences for peripheral arteriopathy. Conclusions. DP was confirmed as an independent factor of cardiovascular risk and, despite the limitations of the study, it was pointed to as a possible independent factor of cerebrovascular risk