Relationship between visit-to-visit blood pressure variability and depressive mood in Korean primary care patients

Abstract Background We evaluated the effect of depressive mood on long-term visit-to-visit blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) in primary care patients in Korea. Methods The Family Cohort Study in Primary Care (FACTS) used a prospective cohort that was established to investigate the relationship between the familial environment and health in Korean primary care patients. Depressive mood was assessed as a score of 21 points or more on a Korean-type Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. BP was measured at the initial visit and first and second follow-up visits. BPV was calculated using the average of the differences between the measurements at the initial visit and first follow-up visit and at the first and second follow-up visits. High visit-to-visit BPV was defined when the average difference fell within the fourth quartile. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association of high BPV with depressive mood and a range of variables. Results Of the 371 participants, 43 (11.6%) had depressive mood according to the depression score. In multivariate analysis, the odds ratio (OR) (OR: 2.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11–4.60) for high systolic BP (SBP) variability in participants with depressive mood was more than twice that in participants without depressive mood. Additionally, older age (OR: 31.91, 95% CI: 3.74–272.33 among participants aged ≥ 70 years) and use of antihypertensive medication (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.02–3.05) were associated with high SBP variability. Conclusions Depressive mood was associated with high visit-to-visit SBP variability in primary care patients. Older age and use of antihypertensive medication were also associated with high SBP variability.