title: Preventive distinction of patients with primary or secondary hypertension by discriminant analysis of chronobiologic parameters estimated on 24-hour blood pressure patterns.
abstract: This investigation deals with a statistical probatory that patients with primary (PH) or secondary (SH) hypertension may be correctly diagnosed by a discriminant analysis of the chronobiologic characteristics computed on the 24-hour blood pressure (BP) patterns. The methodology concerning non-invasive 24-h BP monitoring, chronobiologic analysis and the discrimination process is detailed. Substantial dissimilarities were found in the statistical distribution for systolic and diastolic BP rhythmometric parameters (mesor, amplitude and acrophase) by a retrospective assessment of two groups, consisting of 54 patients with PH and 16 patients with SH. The group-related distribution for rhythmometric parameters was found to be significantly different to generate a statistically significant intergroup discriminatory boundary. The discriminant analysis correctly diagnosed patients with PH and SH in a percentage of about 91% and 63%, respectively. The high incidence of success is convincing that the combination of 24-h BP monitoring/chronobiologic analysis/discrimination process cna be a practical tool for confidently selecting patients with a presumable PH or SH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cugini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Palma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antonicoli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Battisti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uezono
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016011:Normal Distribution; D012189:Retrospective Studies