Correlation between Northwest Dryness Syndrome and blood pressure variability and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with H-type hypertension

DONG Wen-juan; XUE Feng-ling; YANG Li-hong; ZHANG Wen-jia

doi:10.13820/j.cnki.gdyx.20250959

Abstract：Objective To investigate the correlation between Northwest Dryness Syndrome and blood pressure variability(BPV)and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with H-type hypertension,thereby providing a theoretical basis for the precise prevention and treatment of carotid atherosclerosis in this population under the unique regional environment of Northwest China.Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted,including 180 patients with H-type hyperten-sion admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between December 2023 and December 2024.Patients were categorized into three groups:non-Northwest Dryness Syndrome group(n=60),Northwest Dryness Syn-drome group(n=60),and combined Northwest Dryness Syndrome with comorbid syndrome group(n=60).All patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and carotid ultrasonography.Differences in BPV and carotid ul-trasound parameters were compared among groups.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for Northwest Dryness Syndrome in patients with H-type hypertension.Results Compared with the non-Northwest Dryness Syndrome group,the Northwest Dryness Syndrome and combined groups exhibited significantly higher 24-hour mean sys-tolic blood pressure(24hSBP),24-hour mean diastolic blood pressure(24hDBP),daytime mean systolic blood pressure(DSBP),daytime mean diastolic blood pressure(DDBP),nighttime mean systolic blood pressure(NSBP),nighttime mean diastolic blood pressure(NDBP),BPV(24.35±3.28,28.61±4.14 vs.20.32±2.27),carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)[(1.32±0.19)mm,(1.43±0.25)mm vs.(1.14±0.13)mm],and carotid plaque counts(1.52±0.26,1.79±0.32 vs.1.23±0.21)(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis identified smoking history,unhealthy di-etary habits,BPV,and IMT as independent risk factors for Northwest Dryness Syndrome with H-type hypertension and its comorbid subtype(P＜0.05).Conclusion Patients with H-type hypertension complicated by Northwest Dryness Syndrome and/or comorbid syndromes show significantly increased BPV and risk of carotid atherosclerosis.BPV and carot-id atherosclerosis are closely associated with the occurrence of Northwest Dryness Syndrome in this patient population.