Abstract

The metabolic syndrome is associated with higher ambulatory blood pressure. The authors studied the association of metabolic syndrome and masked hypertension (MHT) among African Americans with clinic-measured systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) 140/90mm Hg in the Jackson Heart Study. MHT was defined as daytime, nighttime, or 24-hour hypertension on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Among 359 participants not taking antihypertensive medication, the metabolic syndrome was associated with MHT (prevalence ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.74]). When metabolic syndrome components (clinic SBP/DBP 130-139/85-89mm Hg, abdominal obesity, impaired glucose, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglycerides) were analyzed separately, only clinic SBP/DBP 130-139/85-89mm Hg was associated with MHT (prevalence ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-2.32]). The metabolic syndrome was not associated with MHT among participants not taking antihypertensive medication with SBP/DBP 130-139/85-89 and 130/85mm Hg, separately, or among participants taking antihypertensive medication (n=393). Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring screening for MHT among African Americans should be considered based on clinic BP, not metabolic syndrome.