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Relationship between defecation status and blood pressure level or blood pressure variability

Hypertension Research volume 47, pages 128–136 (2024)Cite this article

A Comment to this article was published on 20 November 2023

Abstract

Blood pressure variability is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. Defecation status has also been associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood pressure variability and defecation status. A total of 184 participants who could measure their home blood pressure for at least 8 days monthly, both at baseline and 1 year later, were included in this study. All participants had their home blood pressure measured using HEM-9700T (OMRON Healthcare). Day-to-day variability of systolic blood pressure was assessed using the coefficient of variation of home systolic blood pressure during 1 month. Data on defecation status was obtained using a questionnaire survey. Eighty-nine patients had an elevated coefficient of variation at 1 year. The proportion of participants with elevated coefficient of variation at 1 year was significantly higher in the no daily bowel movement group than in the daily bowel movement group (72% vs. 42%, P = 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis with the elevated coefficient of variation at 1 year as the objective variable and age, sex, no daily bowel movement, taking medications, including antihypertensive drugs, laxatives, and intestinal preparations, and coefficient of variation at baseline as independent variables, no daily bowel movement was independently associated with the elevated coefficient of variation at 1 year (odds ratio: 3.81, 95% confidence interval: 1.64–8.87, P = 0.0019). In conclusion, no daily bowel movement was independently associated with elevated day-to-day blood pressure variability at 1 year.

Relationship between defecation status and blood pressure level or blood pressure variability.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Chikashi Yamaguchi and Kohko Horinouchi of the MeRAS Corporation for their help in obtaining BP data measured by the participants. This study was conducted by OMRON HEALTHCARE Co. Ltd. in cooperation with the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Hypertension, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University. The running cost of this observational study was funded by OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Hypertension, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan

    Takuro Kubozono, Yuichi Akasaki, Shin Kawasoe, Satoko Ojima, Satoshi Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki Ikeda & Mitsuru Ohishi

  2. Tarumizu Municipal Medical Center, Tarumizu Chuo Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan

    So Kuwahata & Toshihiro Takenaka

  3. Tarumizu City Office, Kagoshima, Japan

    Mayuka Maeda

  4. OMRON Healthcare Corporation, Kyoto, Japan

    Seisuke Fujiwara

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  1. Takuro Kubozono
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Correspondence to Takuro Kubozono.

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TK, AY, and MO received research support from Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. SF is an employee of OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd.

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Kubozono, T., Akasaki, Y., Kawasoe, S. et al. Relationship between defecation status and blood pressure level or blood pressure variability. Hypertens Res 47, 128–136 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-023-01435-3

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