The potential for overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis because of blood pressure variability: a comparison of the 2017 ACC/AHA, 2018 ESC/ESH and 2019 NICE hypertension guidelines

Overdiagnosis in malignant melanoma: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to systematically identify and scrutinise published empirical evidence about overdiagnosis in malignant melanoma and examine how frequent overdiagnosis of melanoma is and whether this is related to different types of interventions or diagnostic technologies.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Empirical studies that discussed overdiagnosis in malignant melanoma were eligible, including qualitative and quantitative studies in any type of population, age group and geographical location. We excluded studies that did not include empirical data, studies that only mentioned 'overdiagnosis' without addressing it further and studies that used the term overdiagnosis for cases of misdiagnosis or false positives.We developed the search strategy in cooperation with an information specialist. We searched five databases on 21 April 2022: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library.This scoping review adheres to The JBI methodology and Prefered Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts for inclusion and extracted data from the included studies. The data extracted include study characteristics, population details, research question, the context and the study's main results.

RESULTS

Our search resulted in 1134 potentially relevant studies. 35 studies were included: 29 register studies, 3 cohort studies, 1 case-control study, 1 survey study and 1 randomised controlled trial. Most register studies examined trends in melanoma incidence and/or mortality and found a significant increase in incidence between 0.39% and 6.6% annually and a little or no increase in mortality. Three cohort studies and one case-control study showed that skin screening was associated with increased detection of melanoma; especially in situ or thin invasive melanoma. Three studies estimated the degree of overdiagnosis which ranged from 29% to 60%.

CONCLUSIONS

Epidemiological data suggest a high degree of overdiagnosis in malignant melanoma. Studies that examined the association between skin screening and malignant melanoma all found increased detection of melanomas, mostly thin and in situ melanomas, which raises concern about overdiagnosis.

Effects of Cuff Size on the Accuracy of Blood Pressure Readings: The Cuff(SZ) Randomized Crossover Trial

Importance

Clinical practice guidelines recommend selecting an appropriately sized cuff based on mid-arm circumference prior to measuring blood pressure (BP). To our knowledge, the effect of miscuffing on BP measurement when using an automated BP device has not been quantified.

Objective

To determine the effect of using a regular BP cuff vs an appropriately sized BP cuff on automated BP readings.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized crossover trial of community-dwelling adults with a wide range of mid-arm circumferences took place between March 16 and October 25, 2021, in Baltimore, Maryland. Participants were recruited via BP screening events at a public food market and a senior housing facility, targeted mailings to prior research participants, placement of study brochures in hypertension clinics at Johns Hopkins University, and referrals from physicians providing hypertension care to adults.

Interventions

Participants underwent 4 sets of triplicate BP measurements, with the initial 3 sets using an appropriate, too-small, or too-large BP cuff in random order; the fourth set of triplicate measurements was always completed with an appropriate BP cuff.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the difference in mean BP when measured with a regular BP cuff compared with an appropriate BP cuff. The secondary outcome was the difference in BP when using too-small or too-large BP cuffs vs an appropriate BP cuff across all cuff sizes. Results were also stratified by systolic BP (≥130 mm Hg vs <130 mm Hg) and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared; ≥30 vs <30).

Results

A total of 195 adults (mean [SD] age, 54 [16] years; 67 [34%] male; 132 [68%] Black; 100 [51%] with hypertension) were randomized for inclusion. Among individuals requiring a small BP cuff, use of a regular BP cuff resulted in a statistically significant lower BP reading (mean systolic BP difference, -3.6 [95% CI, -5.6 to -1.7] mm Hg). In contrast, among individuals requiring a large or extra-large BP cuff, use of a regular BP cuff resulted in a statistically significant higher BP reading (mean systolic BP difference, 4.8 [95% CI, 3.0-6.6] mm Hg and 19.5 [95% CI, 16.1-22.9] mm Hg, respectively). For the secondary outcome, BP differences with overcuffing and undercuffing by 1 and 2 cuff sizes were greater among those requiring larger BP cuffs. The results were consistent in stratified analyses by systolic BP and body mass index.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this randomized crossover trial, miscuffing resulted in strikingly inaccurate BP measurements. This is particularly concerning for settings where 1 regular BP cuff size is routinely used in all individuals, regardless of arm size. A renewed emphasis on individualized BP cuff selection is warranted.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04610775.

Negative association between triglyceride glucose index and BMI-adjusted skeletal muscle mass index in hypertensive adults

BACKGROUND

The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, an indicator of insulin resistance, is often associated with adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases, while hypertension is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. As the loss of muscle mass in people with hypertension is poorly understood, the current study aimed to explore the relationship between TyG index and muscle mass in hypertensive population.

METHODS

We analyzed data from hypertensive adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018. The TyG index and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were calculated and the relationship between the two was evaluated using multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 1633 participants in the dataset were included for the final analysis. In the multivariable regression analysis, the adjusted β of SMI with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the highest TyG index quartile was - 5.27 (- 9.79 to - 0.75), compared with the lowest quartile. A negative linear relationship between TyG index and SMI was plotted by RCS regression (nonlinear P = 0.128). Stratified models of non-smoking women of different ages also demonstrated that SMI decreased as TyG index increased (all P for trend < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This linear and negative correlation between TyG index and SMI in hypertensive patients suggests that insulin resistance adversely affects muscle mass.

[Overcoming the barriers in the approach of the chronic patient]

At least one in three adults has multiple chronic conditions. The assistance of patients with chronic conditions is mandatory. This is one of the main tasks of the primary care physicians. The approach in these patients is challenging, as there are many barriers at different levels (sanitary system, healthcare professionals and patients). In addition, COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation even more. Therefore, it is necessary to take actions that try to improve this state. For this purpose, with the aim to find solutions/recommendations that may be helpful to attain a better diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with chronic diseases, a group of experts of SEMERGEN have tried to identify the problems in the attention to these patients, searching for potential solutions and areas of improvement. The present document has specifically focused on four prevalent chronic conditions in primary care: dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, chronic venous disease and depression.

Feasibility and measurement stability of smartwatch-based cuffless blood pressure monitoring: A real-world prospective observational study

Cuffless wearable devices are currently being developed for long-term monitoring of blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension and in apparently healthy people. This study evaluated the feasibility and measurement stability of smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitoring in real-world conditions. Users of the first smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitor approved in Korea (Samsung Galaxy Watch) were invited to upload their data from using the device for 4 weeks post calibration. A total of 760 participants (mean age 43.7 ± 11.9, 80.3% men) provided 35,797 BP readings (average monitoring 22 ± 4 days [SD]; average readings 47 ± 42 per participant [median 36]). Each participant obtained 1.5 ± 1.3 readings/day and 19.7% of the participants obtained measurements every day. BP showed considerable variability, mainly depending on the day and time of the measurement. There was a trend towards higher BP levels on Mondays than on other days of the week and on workdays than in weekends. BP readings taken between 00:00 and 04:00 tended to be the lowest, whereas those between 12:00 and 16:00 the highest. The average pre-post calibration error for systolic BP (difference in 7-day BP before and after calibration), was 6.8 ± 5.6 mmHg, and was increased with higher systolic BP levels before calibration. Smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitoring is feasible for out-of-office monitoring in the real-world setting. The stability of BP measurement post calibration and the standardization and optimal time interval for recalibration need further investigation.

‘People say it is dangerous’

Introduction: Mild hypertension is a common asymptomatic condition present in people at low risk of future cardiovascular events. These people represent approximately two-thirds of those diagnosed with hypertension. The best available evidence does not support pharmacological treatment for mild hypertension to reduce cardiovascular mortality. Additionally, overdetection of hypertension also occurs, and this practice is supported by public awareness campaigns, screening, easy access to testing, and poor clinical practice, enhancing the overdiagnosis potential. Moreover, sparse qualitative patient-oriented evidence that diagnosing hypertension has harmful consequences is observed. Therefore, evidence regarding the potential for unintended psychosocial effects of diagnosing mild hypertension is required. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate if diagnosing low-risk people with mild hypertension has unintended psychosocial consequences. Methods: Eleven semi-structured single interviews and four focus groups were conducted in São Paulo, Brazil, among people diagnosed with mild hypertension without comorbidities. Informants were selected among the general population from a list of patients, a primary healthcare clinic, or a social network. The informants had a broad range of characteristics, including sex, age, education level, race/skin colour, and time from diagnosis. Data were subjected to qualitative thematic content analysis by three of the authors independently, followed by discussions, to generate categories and themes. Results: The informants confirmed that the hypertension diagnosis was a label for psychosomatic reactions to stress, medicalised illness experiences, and set a biographical milestone. We observed unintended consequences of the diagnosis in a broad range of psychosocial dimensions, for example, fear of death, disabilities, or ageing; pressure and control from significant others; and guilt, shame, and anxiety regarding work and leisure. Although informants had a broad range of characteristics, they shared similar stories, understandings, and labelling effects of the diagnosis. Conclusion: The diagnosis of hypertension is a significant event and affects daily life. Most of the impact is regarded as negative psychosocial consequences or harm; however, sometimes the impact might be ambiguous. Patients’ explanatory models are key elements in understanding and changing the psychosocial consequences of the diagnosis, and healthcare providers must be aware of explanatory models and psychosocial consequences when evaluating blood pressure elevations.

Prospects for developing and implementing remote blood pressure monitoring in patients under dispensary follow-up

Recently, the use of telemedicine technologies (TMT) in the healthcare has gained great importance. TMT is one of the ways to increase the healthcare availability, including in patients with high blood pressure (BP). Office BP measurement and 24-hour BP monitoring are not accurate enough to study natural or induced BP changes over long periods of time. For the selection of antihypertensive drugs and the diagnosis of hypertension (HTN) in patients with an emotionally unstable personality type, as well as in the differential diagnosis of normotension, preHTN, BP selfmonitoring comes first. The use of BP self-monitoring for the diagnosis, selection of therapy, assessment of adherence and effectiveness of treatment of HTN is more effective with remote, socalled telemetric, dynamic BP monitoring. The article presents world experience in the effective use of dynamic remote BP monitoring using TMT.

 

Visit-to-Visit Blood Pressure Variability and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

[Figure: see text].