Relationship between the Atherogenic Index of Plasma and Non-dipping Circadian Pattern in Hypertensive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is considered a major cause for the presence of cardiovascular diseases. Many studies have pointed out that the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), which demonstrates plasma atherogenicity, is correlated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, atherosclerosis, and severity of coronary artery disease. Within this context, we tried to evaluate the correlation between non-dipping circadian pattern and AIP.

METHODS: We enrolled 1030 hypertensive patients (mean age: 53.6 ± 11.4) in total as part of the target population, who are separated into two different groups considering the circadian blood pressure (BP) pattern taken from dipper and non-dipper groups subsequent to 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We calculated the level of AIP using the log-transformation of the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio.

RESULTS: The AIP observed in the non-dipper group was remarkably higher than those of the dipper group (p < 0.001). After measuring the patients' 24-h ABPM, we determined that AIP had a weak but significant correlation with nighttime systolic BP (r=0.090, p = 0.004) and nighttime diastolic BP (r=0.073, p = 0.019). As for the analysis based on the multivariate logistic regression, high AIP, as well as age were found as independently associated with the presence of the non-dipping pattern.

CONCLUSION: AIP levels are higher in patients with non-dipping pattern compared to the dipper patients. Additionally, higher levels of AIP are found as independently associated with the presence of the non-dipping pattern in hypertensive patients.