VALUE OF AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITO RING FOR DETERMINING OPTIMAL BLOOD-PRESSURE VALUES IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS

This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between baseline ambulatory blood pressure values and microalbuminuria increases over a two-year interval in 150 diabetics. The goal was to determine the blo od pressure values associated with the least progression of diabetic n ephropathy. At baseline, among patients with incipient nephropathy, th ose whose mean systolic blood pressure was greater than 120 mmHg had h igher microalbuminuria values than those whose mean systolic blood pre ssure was under 120 mmHg (57.3 +/- 25 versus 103.9 +/- 73 mg/24 h, p<0 .01). Microalbuminuria in the former subgroup increased significantly during the two-year study period (103.9 +/- 73 mg/24 h versus 650 +/- 850 mg/24 h, p<0.001). Antihypertensive therapy may be warranted in di abetics with incipient nephropathy to maintain the systolic blood pres sure under 120 mmHg.