Long-term blood pressure variability (BPV) has been associated with cardiovascular events but the prognostic significance of short-term BPV remains uncertain, including its influence on the presence of target-organ damage, specifically left-ventricular hypertrophy. A meta-analysis exploring the correlation between short-term BPV and left-ventricular mass index was performed. Studies were identified by systematic searches in Pubmed and EMBASE. Any summary measure of short-term BPV obtained from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was included. Twelve studies were included. Average real variability (ARV), s.d., weighted s.d. and coefficient of variation across 24 h/day/night periods were identified as measures of variability. Meta-analysis showed the pooled subgroup correlation coefficients of LVMI with 24 h systolic blood pressure (SBP) s.d., day SBP s.d., weighted s.d. SBP and 24 h ARV SBP were 0.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12-0.31), 0.19 (95% CI: 0.15-0.25), 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13-0.33), 0.37 (95% CI: 0.01-0.65), respectively. This meta-analysis suggests there is a weak positive correlation, between BPV and LVMI.