Elevated Interarm Systolic Blood Pressure Difference Is Positively Associated with Increased Likelihood of Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: Systolic interarm differences in blood pressure have been associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between interarm systolic blood pressure difference and coronary artery disease. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data for patients undergoing coronary angiography and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity examination during hospitalization from 2013 to 2018. Patients underwent simultaneous upper arm blood pressure measurement. Interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IASBPD) was defined as the absolute value of the difference between the right and left upper limb systolic blood pressure. Patients with IASBPD ≥10 mmHg constituted the high group, and those with IASBPD <10 mmHg constituted the normal group. We also recorded data for cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary artery disease was defined as ≥50% vessel stenosis or having undergone interventional therapy according to coronary angiography results. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the number of patients with coronary artery disease was higher in the high group (86.1% vs. 74.6%, P=0.029). Multiple logistic regression showed that IASBPD ≥10 mmHg were positively correlated with coronary artery disease (odds ratio, 2.313; 95% confidence interval, 1.086–4.509; P=0.029), and as the IASBPD value increased, the correlation also gradually increased. CONCLUSIONS: IASBPD ≥10 mmHg was positively related to coronary artery disease and increased IASBPD values were correlated with coronary artery disease severity.