Blood pressure during sleep is associated with arterial stiffness and urine microalbumin to creatinine ratio in youth with type 1 diabetes

Abstract Aims To determine whether sleep blood pressure (BP) is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods We enrolled youth with T1DM, 12–21 years old. Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (PWVcf) assessed arterial stiffness, a CVD marker. Sleep systolic and diastolic BP variables were obtained from 24-hour BP Monitoring. Linear regression models analyzed the relationship of each BP variable with PWVcf, adjusted for HbA1c. Correlation of sleep BP with urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio (UAC) was examined. Results Nocturnal hypertension was found in 36% and abnormal dipping in 48% of the 25 participants, aged 17.7 ± 2.2 years old. Sleep systolic BP [beta = 0.039, 95% Confidence Interval (CI; 0.006–0.073)], diastolic BP [beta = 0.058, 95% CI (0.003–0.114)], Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) [beta = 0.075, 95% CI (0.018–0.131)] and MAP index [beta = 3.547, 95% CI (0.867–6.227)] were significantly associated with PWVcf. Sleep diastolic BP, load, MAP correlated with UAC. Conclusions Blood pressure alterations during sleep are common in youth with T1DM and they are associated with arterial stiffness and UAC. Larger studies are needed to confirm our results and examine whether interventions that target sleep and night-time BP could decrease CVD risk.