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Hypertension is a well-known cardiovascular risk. Patients with end-stage renal diseases frequently suffer hypertension, and their blood pressure elevates in winter. However, seasonal changes in daily variations of blood pressure are poorly assessed in patients treated with hemodialysis. Thirty hypertensive patients with end-stage renal diseases were enrolled in the study. Dry weight and antihypertensive medications were altered when they were necessary. Home blood pressure measurements were performed at least for 1 week in each season; April–May 2008, July–August 2008, October–November 2008, and January–February 2009. Both morning and evening systolic blood pressures (SBPs) showed significant seasonal changes ( p < 0.01), with the highest blood pressure in winter (162 ± 18 and 135 ± 22 mmHg in morning and evening). Morning diastolic blood pressure (DBP) also exhibited seasonal changes ( p < 0.05), with the highest blood pressure in fall ( 78 ± 8 mmHg). Evening DBP did not manifest seasonal deviations. Morning-evening differences in SBP and DBP were the greatest in winter (28 ± 21 and 10 ± 9 mmHg in SBP and DBP, p < 0.01), and the smallest in summer (16 ± 12 and 6 ± 5 mmHg). Daily variations of SBP and DBPs in spring (19 ± 12 and 7 ± 6 mmHg) and fall (20 ± 13 and 9 ± 8 mmHg) were between those of summer and winter. Our results indicate that not only averaged blood pressure but also variations of blood pressure in winter are larger than the other seasons, and suggest that these blood pressure variations participate in cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients with end-stage renal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the patients with diabetic nephropathy suffered high cardiovascular risk, augmentation index (AI) in diabetic nephropathy has been poorly characterized. Cross-sectional studies were performed on 26 diabetic and 27 nondiabetic nephropathic patients. Home blood pressure was examined. In addition, blood pressure, pulse rate, and AI were measured in both supine and sitting positions. Patient backgrounds such as age, sex, sitting blood pressure, and pulse rate were similar between two groups. Circadian variations of home blood pressure were preserved in nondiabetic patients, but disappeared in diabetes. Changing from supine to sitting position induced greater decrements of systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP −9 ± 8 mmHg) and AI (ΔAI −7 ± 10) in the diabetic group than in nondiabetic patients (ΔSBP −4 ± 12 mmHg, ΔAI −2 ± 9). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that AI in a sitting position correlated positively to SBP and inversely to pulse rate. Of interest, AI in supine position related positively to age, the presence of diabetes and SBP, and inversely to pulse rate. The present data indicate autonomic dysfunction in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, our findings provide the evidence that autonomic dysfunction elicits an inadequate physiological arterial contraction in response to postural change, thereby reducing AI that results in the fall of SBP. Finally, the present results suggest that AI in supine, but not sitting position, is suited for detecting cardiovascular risk in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a comparative study between non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients treated with amlodipine and benidipine. The results revealed the superiority of benidipine over amlodipine in renoprotection as the anti-hypertensive supplement to the RAS inhibitor when similar blood pressure levels are attained. The study suggests that the influence on augmentation index (AI) varies among types of calcium chemical blockers (CCB) in patients with CKD.