Role of systolic blood pressure in determining prognosis of hemodialyzed patients

The role of blood pressure in determining the prognosis of hemodialyzed patients was examined in 195 patients who were introduced to hemodialysis. The relationship between blood pressure and survival or death was analyzed. In 46 patients who died within 3 years after the introduction of hemodialysis (nonsurvivors), the age was higher (61 ± 2 years v 50 ± 1 years), the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy was higher, and the systolic pressure was higher in both the introduction (178 ± 4 mm Hg v 167 ± 2 mm Hg) and maintenance (165 ± 4 mm Hg v 147 ± 2 mm Hg) phases than in 132 patients who survived more than 3 years (survivors). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in diastolic pressure during either phase between the two groups of patients. When diabetic nephropathy was excluded, only systolic pressure during the maintenance phase was higher in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors. Therefore, based on systolic pressure during the maintenance phase, patients were divided into two groups, the HT group (≥160 mm Hg) and the NT group (