Predictors of progression of arterial hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes

Arterial hypertension (aHT) is a common comorbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of the present analysis was to determine which predictors are associated with the progression of aHT in participants with T2D.

We analyzed data from the sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) sub-study of the DIACORE study, a prospective cohort study of participants with T2D. Blood pressure values were determined at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 2.7 years in a standardized manner with three repeated measurements at rest. Arterial hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/80 mm Hg. Progression of aHT was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg at follow-up with a concomitant increase of at least 10 mm Hg.

Of 1122 participants (41% female, age 66 ± 9 years, body mass index 30.7 ± 5.3 kg/m²), 925 had pre-existing aHT at baseline. At follow-up, 280 had aHT with additional progression. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that systolic blood pressure at baseline (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.984 [0.976;0.993]; p < 0.001) and age (OR [95%CI]: 1.024 [1.002;1.047]; p = 0.015) were associated with progression of aHT, independently of known modulators. Neither SDB nor its treatment were associated with progression of aHT.

In participants with T2D, lower systolic blood pressure at baseline and age but not SDB were associated with progression of aHT.