Nocturnal hypertension represents an uncontrolled burden in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Backgroundaims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Another critical risk factor in these patients is arterial hypertension (AH). Although it is estimated that 50% of MASLD patients are suffering from AH, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24-h-ABPM), the gold standard for diagnosing hypertension, is often neglected. However, only 24-h-ABPM can identify hypertension subtypes, particularly nocturnal hypertension (NH), which is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular mortality than daytime or 24-h blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of NH in MASLD patients and to identify associated risk factors.

Methods: To this end, 226 MASLD patients with or without known AH were prospectively recruited in an outpatient liver department and underwent 24-h-ABPM together with repeated office-blood-pressure measurements.

Results: 24-h-ABPM datasets from 218 patients were included in the final analysis. NH was observed in 112 patients (51.3%), of whom 54 (48.2%) were receiving antihypertensive treatment (uncontrolled hypertension). Univariable regression analysis showed that age, increased waist-to-hip ratio, a waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), dyslipidemia, a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and increased liver stiffness were significantly associated with a higher risk of NH. In multivariable regression analysis, T2DM [odds ratio (OR) 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-6.23; P  = 0.033], dyslipidemia (OR 3.30; 95% CI, 1.67-6.73; P  = 0.001) and liver stiffness (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02-1.18; P  = 0.021) were identified as independent risk factors.

Conclusions: In conclusion, particularly MASLD patients with accompanying T2DM, dyslipidemia, and increased liver stiffness should undergo 24-h-ABPM to detect and treat NH, as they are at the highest risk of adverse cardiovascular events.

Clinical trial: NCT-04543721.