What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Blood pressure measurement. Intervention: Terminal digit preference vs. Non-digit preferenced readings. Primary outcome: Terminal digit preference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings (p=<0.0001).

What question did this study set out to answer?

Determine the prevalence of terminal digit preference in industrial blood pressure screening and quantify its effect on epidemiological associations with age and body mass index.

March 1, 1986International Journal of Epidemiology

Terminal Digit Preference in Blood Pressure Measurements: Effects on Epidemiological Associations

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Terminal digit preference occurred in 78.5% of systolic and 74.2% of diastolic blood pressure readings (p<0.0001), increasing error variance in epidemiological associations.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

Determine the prevalence of terminal digit preference in industrial blood pressure screening and quantify its effect on epidemiological associations with age and body mass index.

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Key result

Terminal digit preference occurred in 78.5% of systolic and 74.2% of diastolic blood pressure readings (p<0.0001), increasing error variance in epidemiological associations.

Why the study?

Does terminal digit preference in blood pressure measurement affect epidemiological associations with age and BMI?

Population

Participants in an industrial screening programme

Design

Cross-sectional

Authors

PHP. A. HesselUniversity of Alberta

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Terminal digit preference increases error variance in BP epidemiological associations; leaves open whether it biases observational inferences.

Key Points

Determine the prevalence of terminal digit preference in industrial blood pressure screening and quantify its effect on epidemiological associations with age and body mass index.
Assessed systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings recorded by examining doctors during an industrial screening programme for evidence of terminal digit preference.
Compared regression slopes, intercepts, and error variances for associations of blood pressure with age and body mass index between digit-preferenced and non-digit-preferenced records.
Digit preference occurred in 78.5% of systolic and 74.2% of diastolic blood pressure recordings (p < 0.0001), though doctors preferenced less frequently near diagnostic thresholds of 150 mmHg systolic and 90 mmHg diastolic.
Estimates of regression slopes and intercepts between blood pressure and age or body mass index were not generally altered by digit preference.
Digit-preferenced readings introduced greater error variance into associations with age and body mass index compared to non-digit-preferenced readings, reducing statistical power.

Study Design

Type

Observational

Structured PICO

Does terminal digit preference in blood pressure measurement affect epidemiological associations with age and BMI?

Population

Participants in an industrial screening programme evaluated for the extent and impact of terminal digit preference in blood pressure measurements.

Exposure

Blood pressure measurement (analysis of terminal digit preference)

Outcome

Extent of terminal digit preference and its effect on estimates of associations between blood pressure and age or BMI

Main Result

p-value: p=<0.0001

Terminal digit preference in blood pressure measurement is highly prevalent and reduces statistical power in epidemiological studies by increasing error variance.

Cite This Study

P. A. Hessel (1986) conducted an observational in Blood pressure measurement. Terminal digit preference vs. Non-digit preferenced readings was evaluated on Terminal digit preference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings (p=<0.0001). Terminal digit preference occurred in 78.5% of systolic and 74.2% of diastolic blood pressure readings (p<0.0001), increasing error variance in epidemiological associations.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa23d60b67010371b46edd1 https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/15.1.122

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Implication

Terminal digit preference increases error variance in BP epidemiological associations; leaves open whether it biases observational inferences.

Terminal Digit Preference in Blood Pressure Measurements: Effects on Epidemiological Associations

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Cite This Study

Terminal Digit Preference in Blood Pressure Measurements: Effects on Epidemiological Associations

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider