Hypertension 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) program could
improve blood pressure (BP) among community-dwelling elderly adults with
hypertension and diabetes.
Methods 180 community-dwelling elderly people (aged ≥60) with hypertension
and diabetes participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to
control, pedometer, HBPM, and pedometer+HBPM groups. Intervention period was
12 months. The co-primary 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.
Results At 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).
Conclusion Combination pedometer and HBPM interventions can significantly
decrease BP levels in elderly adults with hypertension and diabetes
5. What is the purpose of the study? [1 point]
6. What is the exposure variable and what is the outcome variable? [2 points]
Exposure:
Outcome:
7. Which of the following best describes the study design using the information
in the abstract? [2 points]
A. Case-Control Study
B. Prospective Cohort Study
C. Retrospective Cohort Study
D. Ecological Design
E. Randomized Controlled Trial
8. There are several sources of potential bias in this study. Can you identify
two potential sources of bias, state the type of bias, and describe how the
identified biases may affect the measure of effect in this study.