Monocyte-to-HDL ratio as an inflammatory marker: does it reflect blood pressure patterns?

Aims: The monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) has emerged as a novel inflammatory marker associated with cardiovascular risk. Both hypertension (HT) and non-dipping blood pressure patterns are known to contribute to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the potential association between MHR and circadian blood pressure variations remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between MHR and dipper pattern status, as assessed by 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), in individuals with and without HT. Methods: A total of 160 adults (mean age 52.7±12.1 years; 41.9% male) who underwent ABPM were included in the study. Participants were divided into four subgroups based on their hypertensive status and dipping pattern: normotensive dipper, normotensive non-dipper, hypertensive dipper, and hypertensive non-dipper. MHR values were compared among these groups. Due to the non-normal distribution of MHR, statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric methods. Results: No statistically significant difference in MHR was observed between hypertensive and normotensive participants (p=0.319) or among the four subgroups (p=0.436). Similarly, there was no significant association between MHR and the dipper pattern across all participants (p=0.714). Conclusion: MHR does not appear to be associated with hypertensive status or circadian blood pressure variation patterns. Further studies with larger cohorts and longitudinal designs are needed to clarify the potential role of MHR in blood pressure physiology.