Prevalence of inter-arm blood pressure difference in hypertensive population and its association with obesity parameters in tertiary care centre at Chennai city: A cross-sectional descriptive analytical study

Abstract

Background: Inter-arm blood pressure difference (IABPD), defined as the variation in blood pressure (BP) between the left and right arms, is increasingly recognized as a clinically relevant marker associated with cardiovascular risk and peripheral vascular disease. Obesity, a global health challenge, is strongly linked to cardiovascular complications and may influence BP variability. Aims and Objectives: This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine the prevalence of IABPD and examine its association with obesity parameters in a hypertensive population attending a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 subjects were recruited, comprising 100 known hypertensives and 100 normotensives. After obtaining informed consent, BP was measured bilaterally using a calibrated sphygmomanometer following standardized guidelines. Obesity parameters, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), were assessed using standard anthropometric techniques. Statistical analysis employed Welch’s two-sample t-test, Pearson’s Chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The results revealed significant differences in BMI, waist, and hip circumferences between the two groups, whereas WHR showed no statistically significant difference. Prevalence of inter-arm difference (IAD) systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP ≥10 mmHg and ≥15 mmHg was higher in hypertensives. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong positive associations between BMI, waist, and hip circumferences, whereas WHR correlated weakly with WC and not with BMI or hip circumference. IAD SBP showed weak but significant correlations with BMI, waist, and hip circumference, whereas IAD diastolic BP correlated only with WC. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of routine bilateral BP measurement and obesity assessment to improve cardiovascular risk stratification and guide preventive interventions.