Aims: To identify if the variability of blood pressure (BP) is associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in normotensive type 2 DM patients.
Methods: Sixty-five normotensive type 2 DM patients that had 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) were grouped according any degree of DR.
Results: Fourteen (21%) patients had DR. Office BP and 24-h BP parameters did not differ between groups. At late afternoon period, patients with DR had higher increment in both systolic (11.3+/-12.7mmHg vs. 1.0+/-11.4mmHg, P=0.006) and diastolic (6.7+/-8.6mmHg vs. -0.73+/-10.0mmHg, P=0.017) BP levels than those without. Multivariate logistic analyses were performed with DR as a dependent variable. Each 1mmHg increment in systolic BP at the late afternoon period was associated with a 10.2% increase in DR prevalence [OR 1.102 (CI 95% 1.011-1.202, P=0.027)], after adjustments for A1C test, DM duration, age, albuminuria and current smoking.
Conclusions: In conclusion, in normotensive type 2 DM patients, BP increase at late afternoon is associated to DR independently from confounder factors or other ABPM parameters.