[Analysis of results of the determination of ambulatory blood pressure].

Although there has never been a consensus about the presentation and analysis of the results of ambulatory blood pressure recordings, it is important to define the stages and useful means both for studying individual and groups of recordings (therapeutic trials): individual recordings: edition of results, 24 hour display, quantification of the blood pressure over predefined periods, comparison with reference values; therapeutic trials: verification of the quality of the recordings (consecutive hours without measurements, artefacts), preparation of the results for analysis (grouped in hourly mean values), search for confusing factors and non-adherence to the protocol, analysis of efficacy over 24 hours and predefined periods, partial studies (non-responders, normalisation of blood pressure with respect to reference values, control of efficacy over more than 24 hours...). All these stages must be predefined in the study protocol.