Isolated nocturnal hypertension in relation to host and environmental factors and clock genes

Isolated Nocturnal Hypertension in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Nocturnal hypertension (NH) is a potent cardiovascular risk factor described frequently in people with HIV (PWH). Isolated NH (INH) is less well reported in PWH because of the need for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in office normotensive patients. We aim to document the prevalence of NH and INH and the clinical factors associated with these phenotypes.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study from an HIV program in Argentina. Office and ABPM measurements, as well as clinical and laboratory exploration, were performed. We defined INH as NH with daytime normotension in patients with office normotension.

RESULTS

We obtained ABPM in 66 PWH, 60% male, aged 44.7 (IQR 27-69) years; 87% receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 86.2% virologically suppressed. ABPM-based hypertension prevalence was 54.7% (95% CI: 42.5-66.3). The prevalence of NH was 48.5% (32/66), while the INH prevalence was 19.7% (95% CI: 11.7-30.9). No differences were found regarding sex, HIV viral load, CD4+ T lymphocytes count, or years of infection between normotensive and INH patients. Multiple linear regression model adjusted for sex and age determined that body mass index (β = 0.93, P < 0.01), plasma uric acid (β = 0.25, P = 0.04), plasma potassium (β = -10.1, P = 0.01), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (β = 0.78, P = 0.02) independently predicted nocturnal systolic blood pressure (BP) in PWH. In a multiple logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex, the presence of sedentariness, plasma potassium <4 mEq/L, BMI, and hs-CRP levels were predictors of INH.

CONCLUSION

INH is highly prevalent in PWH. Metabolic and inflammatory markers predict nocturnal SBP in PWH.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Isolated Nocturnal Hypertension and Masked Nocturnal Hypertension in a Tertiary Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires

Isolated nocturnal hypertension (INH) and masked nocturnal hypertension (MNH) increase cardiovascular risk. Their prevalence and characteristics are not clearly established and seem to differ among populations. We aimed to determine the prevalence and associated characteristics of INH and MNH in a tertiary hospital in the city of Buenos Aires. We included 958 hypertensive patients ≥ 18 years who underwent an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) between October and November 2022, as prescribed by their treating physician to diagnose or to assess hypertension control. INH was defined as nighttime BP ≥ 120 mmHg systolic or ≥70 diastolic in the presence of normal daytime BP (<135/85 mmHg regardless of office BP; MNH was defined as the presence of INH with office BP < 140/90 mmHg). Variables associated with INH and MNH were analyzed. The prevalences of INH and MNH were 15.7% (95% CI 13.5-18.2%) and 9.7 (95% CI 7.9-11.8%), respectively. Age, male sex, and ambulatory heart rate were positively associated with INH, whereas office BP, total cholesterol, and smoking habits showed a negative association. In turn, diabetes and nighttime heart rate were positively associated with MNH. In conclusion, INH and MNH are frequent entities, and determination of clinical characteristics such as those detected in this study is critical since this might contribute to a more appropriate use of resources.