OBJECTIVETo compare the difference between 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and trough clinic blood pressure (CBP) after 8 weeks of therapy.

METHODSThe study used meta-regression analysis to summarize three randomized, double-blind, active controlled trials in order to compare the difference between the magnitude of the reduction in 24-h average ABP and CBP Patients. Chinese patients with seated diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) 95-115 mmHg and ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (ADBP) > or =85 mmHg.

RESULTSThe average age of 126 patients was 47.7 +/- 8.3 years, ranging from 25 to 67 (95 males and 31 females). All regimens reduced 24-h ABP and CBP after 8 weeks of treatment. In the 126 patients the baseline 24-h SBP and DBP values (142.7/94.4 mmHg) were markedly lower than those for clinic values (152.6/102.6 mmHg; P<0.0001). Similarly, the 24-h SBP and DBP values (132.7/87.7 mmHg) in week 8 were markedly lower than the clinic values (138.9/92.7 mmHg; P<0.0001). The differences between the treatment-induced reductions in 24-h ABP and CBP were statistically significant (the difference was 3.7/3.3 mmHg for SBP/DBP, P=0.0069/P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONAll regimens significantly reduced seated CBP and ABP. The effect of antihypertensive treatment was greater on CBP than that on ABP, suggesting that assessment on effectiveness of an antihypertensive treatment using CBP readings only has to be carefully interpreted, and a more systematic application of ABP monitoring should be adopted.