Circadian blood pressure variability and asymmetric dimethylarginine in patients with glaucoma: cross-sectional study of The LIGHT cohort

Abstract

Objective: Glaucoma is reportedly associated with asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and circadian blood pressure (BP) variability, including night-time SBP. We determined whether ADMA level is associated with night-time SBP in patients with glaucoma. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we measured the serum ADMA level and ambulatory BP of 163 patients with glaucoma and 705 participants without glaucoma. Based on the tertiles of serum ADMA level, the patients were divided into three groups: low, intermediate, and high-ADMA. Night-time SBP was determined based on ambulatory BP measured every 30 min for 48 h. The nondipper BP pattern was defined as having a night-time mean SBP decline of less than 10% relative to the mean daytime SBP. Results: In the glaucoma group, the night-time SBP in the high-ADMA group was significantly higher than in the low-ADMA group (123.0 and 114.4 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.003). Multivariable analysis adjusted for the potential confounders showed the night-time SBP, and the odds ratio for nondipper in the high-ADMA group were also significantly higher than in the low-ADMA group (P = 0.030 and P = 0.021, respectively). Significant associations between continuous serum ADMA levels with night-time SBP and nondipper were also found (P = 0.002 and 0.006, respectively). In the control group, however, no significant associations were found between serum ADMA levels and night-time SBP and nondipper. A significant interaction effect of the serum ADMA levels and glaucoma on nondipper was found (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Serum ADMA level was significantly associated with the disturbance of circadian BP variability in patients with glaucoma.