• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.157-166
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• 2011

Objectives: Anxiety and depression are known to be associated with hypertension, and blood pressure can vary spontaneously throughout the day. The aim of this study was to evaluate anxiety, depression and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (24-h ambulatory BP) in employees at their worksite. Methods: A total of 107 volunteers among 136 employees at a hotel in Gyeongju, Korea were enrolled in this study between December 2009 and March 2010. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess anxiety and depression, respectively. Blood pressure was measured using a 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring system. Results: No significant differences in either BAI or BDI scores were found when hypertensive individuals were compared to normotensive individuals. The frequency of diastolic non-dipper was significantly higher in individuals with depressive symptoms compared to those without (p<0.05). Depression was significantly associated with diastolic non-dipper (OR: 6.85, 95% CI: 1.50-30.01). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that depression should be considered when deciding upon blood pressure control regimens, and appropriate additive psychotherapy may be beneficial in the treatment of hypertensive patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.604-609
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• 2008

Purpose : Obesity in children and adolescence is highly correlated with adult obesity, which can provoke hypertension. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the blood pressure of obese children regularly. In this study, the results of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in obese children and adolescents were evaluated. Methods : ABPM was conducted for selected patients who visited Handong University Sunlin Hospital from Feb. 1, 2006 to Dec. 1, 2007. The patients were classified into 3 groups: group 1 was normal, group 2 had normal casual blood pressure and a body mass index over the 95th percentile, and group 3 had high casual blood pressure over 120/80 mm Hg and a body mass index over the 95th percentile. Systolic and diastolic 24-hour blood pressure was measured, including both day and night. Results : There were 49 patients in the study. The results showed a significant difference for average systolic blood pressure between the three groups ($105.1{\pm}4.7$, $111.0{\pm}7.1$, $117.8{\pm}6.6mmHg$, P<0.001), but for average diastolic blood pressure only between groups 1 and 3 ($69.1{\pm}5.3$, $77.9{\pm}6.3mmHg$, P=0.001). In the daytime, only groups 1 and 3 showed a statistically significant difference for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. During the night the systolic pressure of group 3 was significantly higher than the other groups, but the diastolic pressure of group 3 was only higher than that group 1. No statistical difference was found in night dips among the groups. Conclusion : Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children and adolescents showed statistically higher blood pressure in obese patients with high casual blood pressure.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.403-409
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• 2014

Purpose: Although high morning blood pressure (BP) is known to be associated with the onset of cardiovascular events in adults, data on its effects in children with hypertension are limited. Our retrospective study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of children with morning hypertension (MH) and to determine its associated factors. Methods: We reviewed 31 consecutive patients with hypertension, confirmed by the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We divided these patients into 2 groups: the MH group (n=21, 67.7%), morning BP above the 95th percentile for age and height (2 hours on average after waking up) and the normal morning BP group (n=10, 32.3%). We compared the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) between the groups. Results: The early/atrial (E/A) mitral flow velocity ratio in the MH group was significantly lower than that in the normal morning BP group. In addition, LV mass was higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The age at the time of hypertension diagnosis was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group (P =0.003). The incidence of hyperuricemia was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group. Conclusion: Older patients and those with hyperuricemia are at higher risk for MH. The rise in BP in the morning is an important factor influencing the development of abnormal relaxation, as assessed by echocardiography. Clinical trials with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the clinical significance of MH.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.752-755
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• 2009

It is well known that hemodynamic load is one of the most important determinants of cardiac structure and function. Circadian variations in blood pressure (BP) are usually accompanied by consensual changes in peripheral resistance and/or cardiac output. In recent years, reduction in circadian variations in BP and, in particular, loss of nocturnal decline of BP were observed in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The patients with only a slight or no loss of nocturnal decline of BP were considered "non-dippers". Regression of LVH was observed after prolonged antihypertensive therapy. Restoration of the circadian rhythm of BP was also observed. However, the classification of patients into "dippers" and "non-dippers" is arbitrary and poorly standardized and repeatable, and in the recent studies, most hypertensive patients with LVH were "dippers". Therefore, we should be particularly cautious about the conclusions drawn using this index. On the other hand, reduced activity of low-pressure cardiopulmonary baroreceptors and impaired day-to-night modulation of autonomic nervous system activity were observed in patients with only LVH. Therefore, alterations in cardiac structure may impair BP modulation. On the other hand, the reverse can also be trueprimary alterations in BP modulation, through a persistently elevated afterload, can increase cardiac mass. Thus, the interrelationship between cardiac structure and BP modulation is complex. Hence, new and more specific methods of evaluating circadian changes in BP are needed to better clarify the abovementioned reciprocal influences.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the effect of shift work on diurnal blood pressure (BP) pattern in nurses. Method: We studied 20 healthy nurses engaged in 3 shift work. 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was performed to each nurse two times during the day and night shift. Five nurses were excluded because of inadequate BP measurement. Results: All subjects were female. The mean age was 27.4 years (range: 23-33 years) and mean body mass index was 19.7 Kg/$m^2$ (range: 18.0-21.2 Kg/$m^2$). The changes of systolic BP ($17.8{\pm}9.1$ vs. $13.2{\pm}4.7%$, p=0.031), diastolic BP ($22.3{\pm}8.7$ vs. $17.3{\pm}9.0%$, p=0.061), and heart rate ($25.2{\pm}5.2$ vs. $12.5{\pm}8.7%$, p=0.001) during the sleeping period were decreased after a night shift compared with day shift. The non-dipper group significantly increased from 20% to 40% after a night shift (p=0.018). Conclusion: Working night shift is significantly associated with non-dipper status in nurses.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.834-837
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• 2005

In this paper, we describe the method of non-invasive blood pressure measurement using pulse wave transit time(PWTT). PWTT is a new parameter involved with a vascular that can indicate the change of BP. PWTT is measured by continuous monitoring of ECG and pulse wave. No additional sensors or modules are required. In many cases, the change of PWTT correlates with the change of BP. We measure pulse wave using the photo plethysmograph(PPG) sensor in an earlobe and we measure ECG using the ECG monitoring device our made in the chest. The measurement device for detecting pulse wave consists of infrared LED for transmitted light illumination, pin photodiode as light detector, amplifier and filter. We composed 0.5Hz high pass, 60Hz notch and 10Hz low pass filter. ECG measurement device consists of multiplexer, amplifier, filter, micro-controller and RF module. After amplification and filtering, ECG signal and pulse wave is fed through micro-controller. We performed the initial work towards the development of ambulatory BP monitoring system using PWTT. An earlobe is suitable place to measure PPG signal without the restraint in daily work. From the results, we can know that the dependence of PWTT on BP is almost linear and it is possible to monitoring an individual BP continuously after the individual calibration.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1170-1176
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• 2007

The conventional urodynamic monitoring is fulfilled by artificially filling a bladder with saline. Generally. it is difficult to evaluate the physiological functions of the storage and voiding of a bladder. With this aim, we constructed an ambulatory urodynamic monitoring (AUM) system and proposed a novel method estimating abdominal pressure by measuring bio-impedance variations. Our system was clinically evaluated for 10 patients. It turned out to be that as the intensity of the abdomen contraction increased, the amplitude of bio-impedance signal and the RMS value of EMG increased more as compared to those who observed during the rest mode. Also, we determined the optimum electrode pair for estimating the abdominal pressure using bio-impedance method and consequently compared with the conventional methods. Because impedance changes differ from a weight, a height, contractile force, volume of muscle and blood other or whatever of individuals, it was quantified in terms of impedance change, correlation coefficient and SNR Our results showed the optimum electrode pair (1,9) which could detect impedance changes due to the increase of the intensity in the abdominal pressure. The correlation coefficient and quadratic function between the RMS values of EMG and the impedance changes were 0.87 and $y=0.0014x^2+0.0620x+0.6958$, respectively. Thus, our system demonstrated that the abdominal pressure could be measured noninvasively and conveniently by simply estimating bio-impedance values. We propose that this optimum electrode configuration would be useful for the future studies involving the handy measurements of abdominal pressure with our suggested ambulatory urodynamics monitoring system.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.46-48
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• 2007

In this study, we determined the optimum electrode pair for measuring the abdominal pressure using bio-impedance method. Because impedance changes differ from a weight, a height, contractile force, volume of muscle and blood other or whatever of individuals, it was quantified using values of impedance change, correlation coefficient and SNR. Our results showed the optimum electrode pair (1, 9) which could detect impedance changes due to an increase of the intensity of the abdominal pressure. The correlation coefficient and quadratic function between the RMS values of EMG and the impedance changes were 0.87 and $y=0.0014x^2$+0.0620x+0.6958, respectively. It demonstrated that the abdominal pressure could be measured non-invasively and simply using bio-impedance method. We propose that this optimum electrode configuration would be useful for future studies involving the convenient measurement of abdominal pressure by ambulatory urodynamics monitoring study.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.222-231
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• 1999

Uwhangchungsimwon(UC) has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of conditions including stroke, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, autonomic imbalance, mental instablity, etc in Korean traditional hospitals, In particular it is often initialy chosen for emergency care of acute stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of UC on cerebral hemodynamics. Using transcranial Doppler ultrasound, we studied changes of mean flow velocity and pulsatility index(PI) of middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) from 11 health young volunteers who were administrated with 1 pill UC and 11 health controls who were not. We obtained hypercapnia with breath-holding and evaluated cerebrovascular reactivity with breath-holding index(BHI). Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were measured using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(ABPM). In UC administration group, the evaluation was performed during basal condition. and repeated at 20, 40, and 60 min after administration. In controls, the evaluation was performed at corresponding time intervals. Mean flow velocity in middle cerebral artery, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate did not change during the observation period and were not different between these two groups. However, administration of UC was associated with decreases in PI by $3.6{\sim}12.4%$ in BHI by $17.9{\sim}24.8%$ compared with pre-administration period. Decreases in PI and BHI with UC were significantly different compared with control group (p<0.05). These results indicate that UC decreases PI and BHI in cerebral artery, which is due to a dilation of cerebral resistance vessels.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.1339-1342
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• 2007

In this study, we determined the optimum electrode pair for measuring the abdominal pressure using bio-impedance method and compared with conventional methods. Because impedance changes differ from a weight, a height, contractile force, volume of muscle and blood other or whatever of individuals, it was quantified using values of impedance change, correlation coefficient and SNR. Our results showed the optimum electrode pair (1, 9) which could detect impedance changes due to an increase of the intensity of the abdominal pressure. The correlation coefficient and quadratic function between the RMS values of EMG and the impedance changes were 0.87 and $y=0.0014x^2+0.0620x+0.6958$, respectively. It demonstrated that the abdominal pressure could be measured noninvasively and simply using bio-impedance method. We propose that this optimum electrode configuration would be useful for future studies involving the convenient measurement of abdominal pressure by ambulatory urodynamics monitoring study.