Blood pressure and pulse wave velocity values in the institutionalized elderly aged 80 and over: baseline of the PARTAGE study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the longitudinal study PARTAGE (predictive values of blood pressure and arterial stiffness in institutionalized very aged population) was to determine the predictive value of blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness for overall mortality, major cardiovascular events and cognitive decline in a large population of institutionalized patients aged 80 and over. In the study herein, we present the baseline data values of this study.


METHODS
A total of 1130 patients were recruited (878 women), living in French and Italian nursing homes. Clinical and 3-day self-measurements of BP were conducted. Aortic and upper limb pulse wave velocity were obtained using a PulsePen tonometer.


RESULTS
Of this population, 76% of women and 60% of men had a known hypertension and over 91% of the patients were under antihypertensive treatment; 51% of the treated hypertensive patients were well controlled (systolic BP <140 mmHg). No significant differences were found between clinical and self-measured BP. With age, there was an increase in pulse pressure (P < 0.001) due to a decrease in diastolic BP (P < 0.001), without any increase in systolic BP. Aortic but not peripheral pulse wave velocity significantly increased with age (P < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Baseline values obtained herein demonstrate that elderly patients living in nursing homes present hemodynamic characteristics which are different to those described in community-living elderly populations, and indicate the interest of assessing, in longitudinal studies, the role of BP and arterial stiffness in morbidity and mortality in this population.
Benetos
Athanase
A
Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy, France. a.benetos@chu-nancy.fr
Buatois
Severine
S
Salvi
Paolo
P
Marino
Francesca
F
Toulza
Olivier
O
Dubail
Delphine
D
Manckoundia
Patrick
P
Valbusa
Filippo
F
Rolland
Yves
Y
Hanon
Olivier
O
Gautier
Sylvie
S
Miljkovic
Darko
D
Guillemin
Francis
F
Zamboni
Mauro
M
Labat
Carlos
C
Perret-Guillaume
Christine
C
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012648:Self Care
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents