The white coat effect is not associated with additional increase of target organ damage in true resistant hypertension

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Background and objective: White coat effect (WCE) (i.e., the difference between office blood pressure [OBP] and awake ambulatory blood pressure monitoring [ABPM]) may be present in hypertensive individuals. The relationship between occurrence of WCE and target organ damage (TOD) has not yet been assessed in true resistant hypertension (RHTN). Patients and methods: RHTN patients were divided into two groups: RHTN with WCE (WCE, n = 66) and RHTN without WCE (non-WCE, n = 61). All patients were submitted to OBP measurement, ABPM, echocardiography and renal function evaluation in three visits. Results: No differences were observed between the WCE and non-WCE groups regarding age, body mass index or gender. OBP were 169.8 +/- 15.8/95.1 +/- 14.0 (WCE) and 161.9 +/- 9.0/90.1 +/- 10.4 mmHg (non-WCE), ABPM = 143.0 +/- 12.8/86.1 +/- 9.9 (WCE) and 146.1 +/- 13.6/85.1 +/- 14.9 mmHg (non-WCE). No statistical differences were observed between WCE and non-WCE subgroups with respect to left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (WCE = 131 +/- 4.7; non-WCE = 125 +/- 2.9 g/m(2)), creatinine clearance (WCE = 78 4.7; non-WCE = 80 +/- 3.6 ml/min/m(2)) and microalbuminuria (MA) (WCE = 44 +/- 8.4; non-WCE = 49 +/- 6.8 mg/g Cr). Conclusions: This finding may suggest that WCE is not associated with additional increase of TOD in true RHTN subjects. (C) 2012 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.140115Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES