The association between 24-h blood pressure patterns and left ventricular mechanics

We sought to investigate left ventricular (LV) mechanics in the recently diagnosed hypertensive patients with different 24-h blood pressure (BP) patterns (dipping, nondipping, extreme dipping and reverse dipping).

The current cross-sectional study included 209 hypertensive patients who underwent 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring and comprehensive two-dimensional echocardiographic examination including multilayer strain analysis.

There was no difference in 24-h and daytime BP values between four groups. Night-time BP significantly and gradually increased from extreme dippers, across dippers and nondippers, to reverse dippers. LV global longitudinal and circumferential strains were greater in dippers and extreme dippers than in nondippers and reverse dippers. This was also found for endocardial and epicardial LV longitudinal and circumferential strains. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that nondipping and reverse dipping patterns were associated with reduced LV longitudinal strain [odds ratio (OR) 1.71 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-5.61) and OR 2.50 (95% CI: 1.31-6.82), respectively] independently of age, sex, 24-h SBP, LV mass index and E/è. Only the reverse dipping BP pattern was independently of clinical and echocardiographic parameters related with reduced LV circumferential strain [OR 1.90 (95% CI: 1.10-4.80)].

Nondipping and reverse dipping BP patterns had stronger impact on LV mechanics compared with patients with dipping and extreme dipping BP patterns in hypertensive population. LV functional and mechanical remodeling deteriorated from extreme dippers and dippers, to nondippers and reverse dippers.