Night-time heart rate value seems to have the most important predictor of all-cause mortality among ambulatory heart rate parameters in this population.

The home DP was significantly associated with mortality, and the LR test indicated that the association between the DP and mortality would be stronger than that between mortality and SBP or PR. These findings are preliminary, and further study is needed to confirm the usefulness of the DP in risk stratification.

Background: No previous study has investigated the association of kidney dysfunction with silent lacunar infarcts and white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) independent of ambulatory blood pressure (BP). Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1,008 participants (mean age 66 years) from a general population of Ohasama, Japan, was conducted. Calculated creatinine clearance (CCr) was estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation. In continuous and categorical analyses, the association between CCr and the prevalence of silent lacunar infarcts and WMH was investigated. Silent lacunar infarcts and WMH were detected on MRI. Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for 24-hour ambulatory BP, sex, age, body mass index, smoking and drinking status, antihypertensive medication, and histories of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and heart disease was performed. Results: On univariate analysis, decreased CCr (continuous variable) and CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m² (categorical variable) were significantly associated with lacunar infarcts and WMH. After adjustment, each 1-standard-deviation decrease in CCr (odds ratio = 1.22; p = 0.036) and CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m² (odds ratio = 1.68; p = 0.007) was significantly associated with a high prevalence of lacunar infarcts. Even when 24-hour ambulatory BP was within the normal range (<130/80 mm Hg), CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m² was associated with a high prevalence of lacunar infarcts (odds ratio = 1.62; p = 0.047). CCr <60 ml/min/1.73 m² and 24-hour ambulatory BP had additive effects on lacunar infarcts. After the same adjustment, the association between CCr and WMH was not significant. Conclusions: CCr is closely associated with lacunar infarcts, suggesting that kidney dysfunction in the elderly is an independent risk factor or predictor for silent lacunar infarcts.

This was the first study to demonstrate that pre-hypertension was significantly associated with an increased risk of CKD and was one of the considerable causes of CKD in the general population.

Both 24-h ABP and lower sMg were closely and independently associated with risk of carotid artery alteration. Further investigations are needed to examine the relationship between sMg levels and the incidence of cardiovascular disease.