title: Detection of blood pressure increments in active elderly individuals: the role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physiological aging can lead to an increase in blood pressure (BP) over time even in regularly exercising elders. Office BP measurements (OBPM) might be unable to detect these BP variations. The aim of this study was to analyze BP changes over 3.5 years in active elders using ABPM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study involved 80 active subjects ≥65 years old who exercised regularly. At baseline and again 3.5 years later, all subjects had lab tests, weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE) recorded; they underwent OBPM, ABPM and physical activity assessment. Over 3.5 years, our sample's mean weight, BMI, body composition, REE, albumin, and physical activity levels, did not change significantly. The prevalence of hypertension detected by OBPM dropped from 68.8% to 61.3%. ABPM revealed an increase in mean 24-h BP (Δsystolic: 5.3 ± 13.6 mmHg; p = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.8 ± 6.7 mmHg; p = 0.018) and mean daytime BP (Δsystolic: 5.8 ± 13.5 mmHg; p = 0.001; Δdiastolic: 1.9 ± 7.1 mmHg; p = 0.022); the prevalence of hypertension detected by ABPM increased from 50% to 65%, also due to an increase (from 8.8% to 16.3%) in masked hypertension. There was no correlation between BP changes and changes in body composition and REE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BP tends to increase over time in active elders, regardless of changes in body composition or level of physical activity. ABPM is an appropriate method for detecting these BP variations in active elders and to reveal cases of masked hypertension that might otherwise escape detection by OBPM.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy. Electronic address: monica_maselli@libero.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maselli
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giantin
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franchin
authors.affiliation: Community Hospital, Feltre, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanatta
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarti
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Corradin
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tramontano
authors.affiliation: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stifani
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manzato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin
keywords: Active elders; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Body composition; Masked hypertension; Physical activity