IMPACT OF SNORING DISORDER ON 24-HOUR BLOOD PRESSURE VARIABILITY AND NOCTURNAL DIPPING IN HYPERTENSIVE ADULTS

Objective: Snoring disorder (SD), associated or not to obstructive sleep apnea, could cause blood pressure (BP) control impairment. The relation between SD and variabilities of BP remains speculative. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of SD on 24-hour BP variability (BPV) and nocturnal dipping among hypertensive adults. Design and method: A cross-sectional comparative study involving 73 hypertensive patients (G1=41 with SD; G2=32 controls), took place at the Physiology and Functional Exploration Department. A standard medical questionnaire assessed patients’ medical history. Sleep apnea risk was evaluated by STOP-BANG and Berlin questionnaires. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was performed to collect BPV and assess dipping patterns. Results: The two groups were matched for sex (59.3% females in G1 vs. 70.7% females in G2). Patients in G1 were statistically older and had statistically higher body mass index (55±13 vs. 47±18 years, p<0.05 and 33.2±6.6 vs. 28.6±4.7 kg/m2, p<0.05, respectively). Both groups had similar percentages of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and coronary heart disease, while G1 included higher frequency of diagnosed OSA (15 vs. 1, p<0.001). G1 also had higher mean STOP BANG and Berlin scores (p<0.001). Systolic and diastolic BPVs were significantly higher in G1 during daytime and 24-h periods (p<0.05). G1 seemed to have higher systolic and diastolic BPVs during the nocturnal period, but without any statistical significance. Both groups were matched for dipping patterns of systolic and diastolic BPs (p>0.05). G1 included statistically more uncontrolled BP during 24-hour, daytime and nighttime periods (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that snoring and BPV are deeply associated and, therefore, could be an additional risk factor of cardiovascular disease.