Heterogeneity in the reporting of blood pressure variability: high time for methodological consensus

Abstract

Intra-individual blood pressure variability (BPV) signifies compromised vascular autoregulatory processes. A systematic review of 63 BPV studies, with data from 550,437 individuals, found substantial heterogeneity in the reporting of BPV in relation to cardiovascular and mortality outcomes. Significant heterogeneity in the reporting of BPV poses as a substantial barrier to quantifying the extent to which BPV contributes unique prognostic utility over and above mean blood pressure. Concerted efforts should be made to standardise BPV reporting, alongside mean blood pressure, to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying high BPV and target organ damage.