Prospective study of the circadian pattern of blood pressure after heart transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Previous reports indicate that heart transplant recipients lack a normal nocturnal decline in blood pressure. This prospective study was designed to determine the evolution of circadian blood pressure patterns after heart transplantation.


METHODS
Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate was measured in eight heart transplant recipients early (47 +/- 35 days) and late (740 +/- 10 days) after transplantation.


RESULTS
Early transplant recordings and the normal control group recordings showed similar daytime systolic blood pressure but had different nighttime systolic blood pressure (138 +/- 15 mm Hg versus 112 +/- 9 mm Hg, p = 0.0002). The percent nocturnal change in systolic blood pressure showed a nocturnal increase in blood pressure in the early recordings versus a decrease in the healthy subjects (+4 +/- 2.7 versus -13 +/- 5.4, p < 0.0001). The late recordings showed a significant decrease in the nighttime systolic blood pressure (138 +/- 15 mm Hg versus 119 +/- 7 mm Hg, p = 0.011). The percent nocturnal change in systolic blood pressure was also significantly different between the early and late recordings (+4 +/- 2.7 versus -9 +/- 9, p = 0.0082) indicating a return of a nocturnal decline in systolic blood pressure. Similar patterns in diastolic blood pressure were observed. No significant change in the percent nocturnal change in heart rate occurred (-10 +/- 4.1 versus -7 +/- 5.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Prospective follow-up of this heart transplant population showed that diurnal blood pressure variation is restored in some patients; diurnal variation is not related to corticosteroids, cyclosporine, or heart rate.
Khot
U N
UN
Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, USA.
Binkley
P F
PF
Haas
G J
GJ
Starling
R C
RC
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents