Low frequency of target organ damage in Taiwanese with white coat hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical importance of white coat hypertension (WCH) remains to be clarified. This study investigated the target organ damage in Taiwanese with WCH.


METHODS
A total of 188 consecutive Taiwanese (88 men and 100 women), aged 26 to 75 years who had an abnormal office casual blood pressure (systolic blood pressure >/= 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure >/= 90 mm Hg or both) and a normal ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) average (systolic ABP average < 140 mm Hg and diastolic ABP average < 90 mm Hg) at the outpatient clinic or from a mass survey were enrolled. Office casual blood pressure measurements were obtained by standard sphygmomanometric methods. Twenty-four-hour blood pressures were recorded by a commercial ambulatory pressure recorder (Del Mar Avionics, Model 1990 Pressurometer IV System). Hypertension-related target organ complications were assessed by electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, urinalysis and eye fundus examinations.


RESULTS
Target organ damage was found in 6.4% of subjects with WCH. Roentgenographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was found in 1.1% of subjects and electrocardiographic LVH in 2.7%. Proteinuria was found in 1.6% of subjects and retinopathy in 1.1%. The frequencies of various target organ damage were not significantly associated with age, gender and the definition of normal ABP average as 135/85 mm Hg or 140/90 mm Hg.


CONCLUSIONS
WCH represents a low-risk stratum for target organ damage in Taiwanese. These subjects should be identified and followed up regularly. The factors responsible for the low frequency of target organ damage in Taiwanese with WCH need further study.
Tseng
Yung-Zu
YZ
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chiang
Fu-Tien
FT
Hsu
Kwan-Lih
KL
Lo
Huey-Ming
HM
Tseng
Chuen-Den
CD
Lin
Jiunn-Lee
JL
Hwang
Juey-Jen
JJ
Lai
Ling-Ping
LP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000503:physiopathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D013624:Taiwan