Prognostic significance of visit-to-visit systolic blood pressure variability: a meta-analysis of 77,299 patients.

In recent clinical investigations, visit-to-visit systolic blood pressure (SBP) variability was proven as a predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, inconsistent results exist in this association. A meta-analysis of 13 prospective studies was conducted to evaluate the prognostic value of visit-to-visit SBP variability by different parameters in 77,299 patients with a mean follow-up of 6.3 years. The pooled age- and mean SBP-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.04; P<.001) per 1-mm Hg increase in SBP standard deviation (SD) and 1.04 (1.02-1.06, P<.001) per 1% in SBP coefficient of variation, and the corresponding values of cardiovascular mortality were 1.10 (1.02-1.17, P<.001) and 1.01 (0.99-1.03, P=.32), respectively. Moreover, a 1-mm Hg increase in SD was significantly associated with stroke, with an HR of 1.02 (1.01-1.03, P<.001). Visit-to-visit SBP variability, independent of age and mean SBP, is a predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality and stroke.