Association of age and BP variability with long-term mortality in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Background/aims: Blood pressure (BP) variability is known as a poor prognostic factor for cardiovascular outcomes. This study assessed the prognostic significance of BP variability in association with increasing age in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2,174 patients on hemodialysis from March 2005 to December 2012. The impact of intradialytic and interdialytic BP variability on all-cause mortality according to age groups was analyzed.

Results: Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 5-year cumulative mortality showed higher mortality in patients with higher intradialytic systolic and diastolic BP variability as well as interdialytic systolic and diastolic BP variability (log-rank p=0.006, <0.001, 0.018 and < 0.001) in patients aged <55 years, but not in older age groups. Cox proportional analysis revealed that 5-year mortality was associated with intradialytic diastolic BP variability in patients aged <55 years (HR, 2.03 CI, 1.24-3.32).

Conclusion: The overall mortality was associated with BP variability in patients aged <55 years, but not in older ages. This result suggests that younger hemodialysis patients with BP variability require further medical attention and intervention to reduce BP variability.