Regression towards the mean in studies of arterial blood pressure

Łukasz J. Krzych; Małgorzata Kowalska; Jan E. Zejda

Vol 12, No 1 (2008)

Review paper

Published online: 2008-01-28

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Regression towards the mean in studies of arterial blood pressure

Łukasz J. Krzych, Małgorzata Kowalska, Jan E. Zejda

Nadciśnienie tętnicze 2008;12(1):49-54.

Vol 12, No 1 (2008)

REVIEV

Published online: 2008-01-28

Abstract

Regression towards the mean (RTM) is a statistical phemonenon that occurs in blood pressure studies independently of the problem or duration of the research, age of the studied population, or the method being used. RTM is observed whenever the study group is not randomized. It is assumed that the less correlated the two variables are the greater the RTM is. The infuence of RTM should be considered mostly in casual blood pressure measurements because of imprecise assessment of the results. Consequently, RTM may be mistakenly attributed to a treatment effect and the prevalence of hypertension. Despite the entire elimination of RTM can be impossible, it is suggested to remind this problem to the reader either in the section of „materials and methods” or „discussion”.