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Diurnal blood pressure variationin pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism and Cushing's syndrome

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 18, pages 107–111 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

We examined circadian blood pressure (BP) variation (expressed as a relative night-time BP decline) in subjects with primary aldosteronism (78 patients), pheochromocytoma (n=45) and Cushing's syndrome (n=18). Subjects with aldosterone-producing adenoma (n=21) and pheochromocytoma (n=27) were also investigated after the tumour removal. In all, 65 patients with essential hypertension served as a control group. The night-time BP decline was significantly attenuated in all three forms of endocrine hypertension compared to the control group (primary aldosteronism P<0.0001, pheochromocytoma P<0.0001 for systolic and diastolic BP and Cushing's syndrome P<0.0001/<0.001 vs essential hypertension). In the case of pheochromocytoma, the absence of the night-time BP decrease was more prominent compared to the primary aldosteronism group (P=0.003/0.001) and for the diastolic BP also in comparison with the Cushing's syndrome group (P=0.03). Tumour removal led in both groups to the restoration of the previously altered circadian rhythm (aldosterone-producing adenoma: P=0.0005/0.0009; pheochromocytoma: P=0.001/0.0007). Our study demonstrates a blunted circadian BP variation in all forms of adrenal hypertension in comparison with essential hypertension. This reduction of the night-time BP decrease was more prominent in pheochromocytoma than in primary aldosteronism or Cushing's syndrome.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the research project of the Ministry of Education J 13/98: 111100002-1 and by the research grant of the Ministry of Education LN 00B107.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3rd Department of Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, General Faculty Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic

    T Zelinka, B Štrauch & J Widimský Jr

  2. Institute of Computer Science, The Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic

    L Pecen

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  1. T Zelinka
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  2. B Štrauch
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  3. L Pecen
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  4. J Widimský Jr
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Correspondence to T Zelinka.

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Zelinka, T., Štrauch, B., Pecen, L. et al. Diurnal blood pressure variationin pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism and Cushing's syndrome. J Hum Hypertens 18, 107–111 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001644

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