Abstract

BACKGROUND Studies have shown that self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is effective when combined with co-interventions, but its efficacy varies in the presence of some co-morbidities.

This study examined whether self-monitoring can reduce clinic BP in patients with hypertension-related co-morbidity.

METHODS A systematic review was conducted of articles published in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to January 2018.

Randomized controlled trials of self-monitoring of BP were selected and individual patient data (IPD) were requested.

Contributing studies were prospectively categorized by whether they examined a low/high-intensity co-intervention.

Change in BP and likelihood of uncontrolled BP at 12 months were examined according to number and type of hypertension-related co-morbidity in a one-stage IPD meta-analysis.

RESULTS A total of 22 trials were eligible, 16 of which were able to provide IPD for the primary outcome, including 6,522 (89%) participants with follow-up data.

Self-monitoring was associated with reduced clinic systolic BP compared to usual care at 12-month follow-up, regardless of the number of hypertension-related co-morbidities (−3.12 mm Hg, [95% confidence intervals −4.78, −1.46 mm Hg]; P value for interaction with number of morbidities = 0.260).

Intense interventions were more effective than low-intensity interventions in patients with obesity (P < 0.001 for all outcomes), and possibly stroke (P < 0.004 for BP control outcome only), but this effect was not observed in patients with coronary heart disease, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease.

CONCLUSIONS Self-monitoring lowers BP regardless of the number of hypertension-related co-morbidities, but may only be effective in conditions such obesity or stroke when combined with high-intensity co-interventions.

Citations

J P Sheppard, K L Tucker, W J Davison, R Stevens, W Aekplakorn, H B Bosworth, A Bove, K Earle, M Godwin, B B Green, P Hebert, C Heneghan, N Hill, F D R Hobbs, I Kantola, S M Kerry, A Leiva, D J Magid, J Mant, K L Margolis, B McKinstry, M A McLaughlin, K McNamara, S Omboni, O Ogedegbe, G Parati, J Varis, W J Verberk, B J Wakefield, R J McManus, Self-monitoring of Blood Pressure in Patients With Hypertension-Related Multi-morbidity: Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis, American Journal of Hypertension, November 2019, hpz18

Sponsorship: Supported by the NIHR

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpz182

URI: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/orka/title/self-monitoring-of-blood-pressure-in-patients-with-hypertension-related-multi-morbidity-systematic-review-and-individual-patient-data-meta-analysis/