Achievement of Blood Pressure Goal
with Atlas Realignment
George L. Bakris, Marshall Dickholtz, Sr., Peter Meyer,
Glenda Kravitz, Elizabeth Avery, Martha Miller,
Jonathon Brown, Bruce M. Bell
Preventative Medicine, Rush University Medical Center,
Chicago, Illinois
Anatomical abnormalities of the cervical spine at the level of the Atlas vertebra are associated with relative ischemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure (BP). Manual correction of this malalignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that correcting malalignment of the Atlas vertebra reduces and maintains lower BP. Fifty drug naive (n=26) or washed out (n=24) subjects with stage 1 hypertension were evaluated using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study design at a single center. Subjects received no antihypertensive medications during the eight-week study duration. After baseline measures, subjects were randomized to receive a National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) procedure or a sham procedure. Statistical analysis was performed comparing data from visits at baseline and week 8. The study was designed with 90% power to detect an 8/5 mm Hg reduction difference in arterial pressure at eight weeks over the placebo group. The study results demonstrate that the cohort consisted of 70% males, (98% Caucasian, 2% Hispanic), mean age 52.7 +/- 9.6 years. There were no major differences in baseline demographic characteristics found between the two treatment groups. The primary results of the study are noted in the Table below. No adverse effects were recorded. We conclude that restoration of Atlas alignment is associated with marked reductions in BP similar to use of two-drug combination therapy. Larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these findings.
| The Journal of Clinical Hypertension A71, Suppl. A, Vol. 8, No.5, May 2006 |
| |
NUCCA
N = 25 |
PLACEBO
N = 25 |
|
BASELINE |
8 WEEKS |
BASELINE |
8 WEEKS |
Systolic BP
(mm Hg) |
147 +/- 6 |
130 +/- 10* |
145 +/- 6 |
142 +/- 11 |
Diastolic BP
(mm Hg) |
92 +/- 8 |
82 +/- 9* |
91 +/- 8 |
89 +/- 9 |
Lateral
Displacement
of C7 Spine
(degrees) |
1 |
0.04# |
0.6 |
0.5 |
* |
After adjustment for baseline levels, the treatment effect for Systolic BP was significant at the 0.0001 level and Diastoloic BP at the 0.002 level |
# |
After adjustment for baseline levels, the treatment effect for Lateral Displacement of spinal column at C7 was significant at the 0.002 level. |
The Journal of Clinical Hypertension A71,
Suppl. A, Vol. 8, No.5, May 2006
| BASELINE DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
|
Variable |
All |
Control |
Treatment |
P Value |
| |
Mean +/- SD |
Mean +/- SD |
Mean +/- SD |
|
| N |
50 |
25 |
25 |
|
| Age (years) |
5.7 +/- 9.6 |
51.8 +/- 10.9 |
53.6 +/- 8.3 |
.51 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) |
148.6 +/- 6.9 |
149.9 +/- 6.2 |
147.3 +/- 7.4 |
.19 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) |
91.7 +/- 6.0 |
91.9 +/- 5.8 |
91.6 +/- 6.3 |
.83 |
| Pulse Rate (beats/min) |
73.5 +/- 10.8 |
73.3 +/- 11.3 |
73.6 +/- 10.5 |
.92 |
| DEMOGRAPHIC/ETHNICITY
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
| Men |
70 |
80 |
60 |
.12 |
| Race |
|
|
|
.49 |
| Caucasian |
96 |
100 |
92 |
|
| African American |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Multi-Racial |
2 |
0 |
4 |
|
| Hispanic |
2 |
0 |
4 |
.49 |
