Assessing the relationship between short-term blood pressure variability and glycation profile in young and...

Elevated short-term blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) has been associated with a poorer cardiovascular prognosis. The glycation profile is related to BPV in diabetic and prediabetic individuals. However, little is known about the relationship between glycation levels and BPV in hypertensive patients with optimal glycemic control.

This observational study aimed to elucidate the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and short-term BPV in young and middle-aged hypertensive patients over 18 years with HbA1c levels below 5.7%.

We collected and analyzed data on 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory variables from 143 hypertensive patients. BPV was measured as the standard deviation (SD) and average real variability (ARV) in millimeters of mercury, as well as the dimensionless coefficient of variation (CV).

Depending on the index, each one unit increase in nighttime SD and CV indices was associated with a 17-24% higher likelihood of elevated HbA1c levels (higher than 5.2%). Regarding BPV dipping, each 1% decrease in nighttime SD and CV dipping was associated with a 10-20% higher risk of increased HbA1c levels. Additionally, each 1% decrease in nighttime ARV DBP dipping was also associated with a 10% higher risk of elevated HbA1c levels. A one-standardized-unit increase in the overall combined BPV index, as a pooled measure of BPV, was associated with a 45% higher likelihood of raised HbA1c levels.

Even within the optimal range, elevated HbA1c levels may reflect an underlying increase in BPV, which may be particularly relevant given the prognostic implications of short-term BPV.