A SOFTWARE FOR COMPARING AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MEASURES (ABPM)

The software (MAPA-PC) for personal computers, designed by the author, provides precise and fast studies of ABPM, especially when comparing two anti-hypertensive treatments. It implies strict definitions of gro ups (e.g. dippers), indices (peak, trough, peak/trough ratio), and the type of smoothing of measured values: means (over 1, 2 or 3 hours) or smoothing by functions (polynomials or trigonometric series). The sof tware calculates standard parameters (nighttime and daytime means, pea k, trough...) as well as more original values (nighttime period from p oints of inflexion in the curve, slope in these points, coefficients o f variation on differences between 2 ABPM of a given subject...). It u ses statistical tests (Mann and Whitney's U, Pearsons chi square, Sned ecor's F) to compare results of treatment. It provides many types of c urves (blood pressure lines, box-plots) which show kinetics and variab ility of blood pressure. The user can compare various types of smoothi ng (e.g. 2 vs 3 harmonics in Fourier series). The software was used on 237 records of 79 patients, in a randomized trial. It was written wit h Turbo Pascal and works on DOS personal computers. It is interesting for epidemiologic studies or clinical trials in which ABPM are used.