The association of blunted nocturnal blood pressure dip and stroke in a multiethnic population

Nondipping has been defined as a reduction in the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) of <10% from awake to sleep. We hypothesized that nondipping might be associated with stroke in minority populations. We monitored BP over a 24 h period with an ambulatory device in 166 cases from a multiethnic population of stroke survivors (63 blacks, 61 non-Hispanic whites, and 42 Caribbean Hispanics, aged 69.5 ± 11 years) and 217 community control subjects (73 blacks, 107 non-Hispanic whites, and 67 Caribbean Hispanics, aged 69 ± 9 years). Prevalence of nondipping was significantly greater among cases than among control subjects (64% v 37%, P< .001). In a multiple logistic regression model adjusted for traditional risk factors for stroke, nondipping conferred an increased risk for stroke. Probability of stroke associated with nondipping (odds ratio (OR) 2.5, confidence interval (CI) 1.6 to 4.0) was equal to that of traditional risk factors. Nondipping increased the chance of having a stroke in both non-Hispanic whites (OR 4.2, P< .001) and blacks/Caribbean Hispanics (OR 1.9, P= .03). The strength of the contribution of nondipping to stroke risk was similar in all ethnic groups. Nondipping was associated with stroke in both men and women. Given the previous reports that nondipping contributes to stroke risk in European and Asian populations, these data suggest that nondipping may be universally associated with risk for stroke.