Effects of self-monitoring devices on blood pressure in older adults with hypertension and diabetes: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundHypertension and diabetes frequently coexist, which results in the difficulty of hypertension control in community-dwelling elderly adults who lack effective prevention and control strategies. The aim of this study is to determine whether a combined pedometer and home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) programme could improve blood pressure (BP) among community-dwelling elderly adults with hypertension and diabetes.MethodsThe trial was a 2×2 factorial randomised clinical trial that recruited 180 community-dwelling elderly people (aged ≥60) with hypertension and diabetes in Tianjin, China. Participants were randomly assigned to control, pedometer, HBPM, and pedometer+HBPM groups. Intervention period was 12 months. The coprimary outcomes of the study were systolic and diastolic BP; the secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients with controlled hypertension. BP was measured twice in the right arm using a mercurial sphygmomanometer. The mean of these two measurements was taken as the BP value.ResultsAt 12 months, compared with the control group, the adjusted differences in least squares mean (95% CI) in systolic and diastolic BP changes for pedometer, HBPM, and pedometer+HBPM groups were −4.2 (–8.4 to 0.1), –2.7 (–6.9 to 1.5) and −8.1 (–12.3 to –3.9) mm Hg (p<0.01); −3.2 (–5.2 to –1.1), −0.1(−2.1 to 1.9) and −3.6 (–5.6 to –1.5) mm Hg (p<0.001), respectively; the adjusted difference in percentage (95% CI) in the controlled hypertension (BP <140/90 mm Hg) for pedometer, HBPM and pedometer+HBPM groups were 7.5 (–12.2 to 27.1), 9.9 (–10.4 to 30.3) and 23.1 (5.0 to 41.1) (p=0.09).ConclusionCombination pedometer and HBPM interventions can significantly decrease BP levels in elderly adults with hypertension and diabetes.Trials Registration numberUMIN000021613.