Visit-to-Visit Blood Pressure Variability in Rural Males With Arterial Hypertension: Association With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Purpose: to study the association of blood pressure (BP) visit-to-visit variability (VVV) with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in rural dwellers with arterial hypertension (HTN).
 Material and methods. The cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed complex data from consecutive 160 males with primary HTN (mean age 50 ± 6 years). Patients with major HTN complication were excluded. We analyzed the office systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) levels, obtained at four consecutive doctor`s visits. As a metric of BP VVV, we used standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) values. The criteria for high BP VVV were Patients were ascertained to have high BP VVV in case of SD (SBP) ≥15 mm Hg and/or SD (DBP) ≥14 mm Hg. Totally, high BP VVV status was in 82 (51,3 %) patients. Paroxysmal AF was detected in 29 (18,1 %) patients.
 Results. HTN with AF group (vs. HTN alone) was characterized by higher average values of BB VVV metrics (median, interquartile range): SD (SBP) (16,7 (15,9-17,5) vs. 8,7 (4,6-15,2) mm Hg, respectively); SD (DBP) (11,5 (8,9-14,6) vs. 5,7 (3,9-8,9) mm Hg, respectively); CV (SBP) (10,1 (9,6-10,7) vs. 5,6 (2,9-9,2) %, respectively); and CV (DBP) (12,9 (9,3-15,5) vs. 6,3 (4,1-9,7) %, respectively) (р<0,001 in all the comparisons). Additionally, HTN with AF group associated with worse kidney filtration function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): 57 (53-59) vs. 67 (62-77) ml/mim/1,73 m2, respectively) and more pronounced albuminuria (urine albumin/creatinine ratio (A/Cu): 36,1 (32,3-40,6) vs. 10,3 (6,5-26,9) mg/mmol, respectively) (р<0,001 in both comparisons). While integral assessment of eGFR and A/Cu values, we determined higher frequency of patients with high and very high cardiovascular and renal adverse events risk (AER) in HTN with AF group. Moreover, patients with HTN and AF presented with higher left atrial antero-posterior dimension (LAD) (4,3 (4,2-4,6) сm vs. 3,9 (3,6-4,1) cm, respectively; р<0,001), as well as with more advanced left ventricular remodeling. At multivariable analysis, SD (SBP) ≥15 mm Hg and SD (DBP) ≥14 mm Hg, along with AER and LAD, were the most significant factors independently associated with AF.
 Conclusion. In rural males with HTN, the presence of high BP VVV is one of the factors associated with non-valvular AF risk increase. High BP VVV could be proposed as an additional modified AF risk factor in patients with HTN.