Association of carotid artery intima-media thickness and blood pressure variability in prehypertension patients with impaired glucose tolerance

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation of carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) with blood pressure variability(BPV) in prehypertension patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Methods Three hundred and one patients were divided into four groups: normal control group(NC group, n=60), prehypertension group(PH group, n=82), impaired glucose tolerance group(IGT group, n=84), prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance group(PH+ IGT group, n=75). Carotid artery IMT was measured by Doppler ultrasonography, all patients were monitored by ambulatory blood pressure. Results ①IMT significantly increased in PH, IGT and PH+ IGT groups than that in NC group[(0.89±0.14)mm, (1.02±0.15)mm, (0.87±0.15)mm vs. (0.76±0.12)mm, P all <0.05], and it was significantly higher in PH+ IGT group than that in PH or IGT group.②24 h ambulatory blood pressure and the thickness of the carotid artery IMT: the thickness of the carotid artery IMT increased with increasing systolic blood pressure variability(P=0.001). There was no correlation of the diastolic blood pressure variability, 24 h mean diastolic blood pressure, 24 h mean artery blood pressure with IMT thickness. ③Regression analysis indicated that IMT was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure variability, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, 24 h mean systolic blood pressure, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose. Conclusions IMT is independently correlated with blood pressure variability, especially with systolic blood pressure variability, vascular remodeling could be detected in prehypertension patients. Impaired glucose tolerance could enhance vascular remodeling in prehypertension patients. Key words: Prehypertension; Impaired glucose tolerance; Carotid artery intima-media thickness; Blood pressure variability