Browsing by Author "Stojanov, Vesna (15754771000)"

Purpose: The aim of this study was to use non-invasive impedance cardiography (ICG) to determine the hemodynamic status of patients with grade 1 and grade 2 hypertension in relation to gender and age. Patients and Methods: We analyse prospectively collected data of 158 patients with grade 1 or grade 2 arterial hypertension. Patients were grouped according to age: 1) <50 years and 2) ≥50 years. Hemodynamic status of patients was assessed by using non-invasive ICG. For the purpose of this study two hemodynamic parameters were used: a) systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and b) left cardiac work index (LCWI). The primary endpoint was the hemodynamic status of patients. The secondary endpoint was hypertension-mediated organ damage. Results: Increased SVRI was assessed in 80% of patients, more common in the ≥50 years group than in the <50 years group (88.5% vs 64.8%; p < 0.01). The occurrence of increased systemic vascular resistance correlates hierarchically with increasing age. Elevated LCWI (hypervolemia and/or hyperinotropy) was present in 63% of patients, more often in males than females (70.3% vs 57.1%; p < 0.05) as well in those <50 years than in older patients (70.4% vs 59.6%; p < 0.05). Patients with diabetes were less likely to have hypervolemia/hyperinotropy than those without diabetes (46.7% vs 67.2%; p < 0.01). Hypervolemia/hyperinotropy (46.7%) and hypovolemia/hypoinotropy (43.3%) were present in a similar percentage of diabetic patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy was found in 30 patients (19%). Patients with left ventricular hypertrophy were more commonly male (66.7% vs 42.2%; p = 0.016) and had increased systemic vascular resistance (96.7% vs 77.3%; p = 0.015) compared to the patients without left ventricular hypertrophy. Hypertensive retinopathy grade III was found in 14 patients (8.9%). Elevated daytime systolic pressure, diabetes and increased age are independent predictors of grade III hypertensive retinopathy. Patients with reduced renal function had higher mean systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), were more commonly male (p < 0.01) and older (p < 0.01) than those without reduced renal function. Conclusion: Although there are certain correlations between hemodynamic disorders and age and gender, specific hemodynamic status of an individual patient with hypertension cannot reliably be predicted on the basis of age and gender. The measurement of hemodynamic parameters by ICG can guide the clinician to select appropriate antihypertensive therapy to the patients’ hemodynamic pathophysiologic condition. © 2022 Marjanovic et al.

Aim. To investigate the connection between alcohol consumption and general and specific mortality in the Serbian population. Methods. Total of 286 healthy middle-aged participants of both genders enrolled in a prospective follow-up study in 1974. During the following 20 years, 80 deaths occurred. The data on underlying causes of death were obtained from official death certificates. Alcohol consumption was estimated from a multiple-choice questionnaire. According to the total daily alcohol intake, subjects were classified into 3 groups: none- or rare drinkers, moderate, and heavy drinkers. The relative risks (RR) adjusted for gender, smoking, body mass index, and blood pressure were calculated using non-drinkers as a reference category. Results. Heavy drinkers exhibited significantly higher adjusted ratios for all-cause mortality (RR = 1.970, 95% confidence interval [Cl] = 1.062-3.651; p = 0.031) and myocardial infarction (RR = 2.463, 95% Cl = 1.050-5.775; p = 0.038), and non-significantly higher risk for death from other causes. Moderate drinkers exhibited lower adjusted risk ratios for all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and death from other causes, but this decrease did not reach the significance level. Further, overall probability of survival at every time point was the highest among moderate drinkers and lowest among heavy drinkers. Conclusion. Among Serbian middle-aged population moderate alcohol consumption reduced mortality from all causes, myocardial infarction and other causes of death, and increased the probability of survival in a twenty year follow-up period. Heavy drinking increased mortality rates from all causes and reduced the twenty year-survival probability in comparison with non-drinkers.

Since diastolic dysfunction is an early sign of the heart disease, detecting diastolic disturbances is predicted to be the way for early recognizing underlying heart disease in athletes. So-called chamber stiffness index (E/e′)/LVDd was predicted to be useful in distinguishing physiological from pathological left ventricular hypertrophy, because it was shown to be reduced in athletes. It remains unknown whether it is reduced in all athletic population. Standard and tissue Doppler were used to assess cardiac parameters at rest in 16 elite male wrestlers, 21 water polo player, and 20 sedentary subjects of similar age. In addition to (E/e′)/LVDd index, a novel (E/e′)/LVV, (E/e′)/RVe′lat indices were determined. Progressive continuous maximal test on treadmill was used to assess the functional capacity. VO2 max was the highest in water polo players, and higher in wrestlers than in controls. LVDd, LVV, LVM/BH2.7 were higher in athletes. Left ventricular early diastolic filling velocity, deceleration and isovolumetric relaxation time did not differ. End-systolic wall stress was significantly higher in water polo players. RV e′ was lower in water polo athletes. Right atrial pressure (RVE/e′) was the highest in water polo athletes. (E/e′lat)/LVDd was not reduced in athletes comparing to controls (water polo players 0.83 ± 0.39, wrestlers 0.73 ± 0.29, controls 0.70 ± 0.28; P = 0.52), but (E/e′s)/RVe′lat better distinguished examined groups (water polo players 0.48 ± 0.37, wrestlers 0.28 ± 0.15, controls 0.25 ± 0.16, P = 0.015) and it was the only index which predicted VO2 max. In conclusion, intensive training does not necessarily reduce (E/e′lat)/LVDd index. A novel index (E/e′s)/RVe′lat should be investigated furthermore in detecting diastolic adaptive changes. © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the mortality rate and risk of death in relation to the blood pressure (BP) categories during 36 years of follow-up period. Methods: 265 healthy middle-aged participants were included in the follow up for 36 years; 136 deaths occurred during this time. Causes of death (myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and other causes) were obtained from the death certificates. Participants were divided into four groups according to their blood pressure measurements (normal blood pressure, prehypertension, stage I and stage II hypertension). Hazard ratios (HR) for mortality from all investigated causes of death were calculated using measurements of normal BP as a reference. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate probability of survival for each BP category. Results: Participants with prehypertension and stage I hypertension have shared similar all-cause mortality rates (15 deaths per 1000 person-years), and MI mortality rates (7 per 1000 person-years). Participants with stage II hypertension had the highest risk of all-cause mortality (HR 2.78, 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 6.66). Conclusion: Prehypertension and stage I hypertension induced similar rates of mortality due to myocardial infarction or all-causes. The survival probabilities were lower for participants with hypertension and prehypertension in comparison with those who had normal blood pressure. Participants with stage II hypertension had the highest mortality rates and the lowest probability of survival during a 36-year follow-up period. © 2013 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Research on the cardiovascular effects of noise in Serbia started in the year 2002, including experimental studies on humans and epidemiological studies on the adult and children population of Belgrade and Pancevo. Experimental exposure to noise [L eq = 89 dB (A)] had a hypodynamic effect, significantly lowering the cardiac index, cardiac work, and pump performance (P < 0.01). The vasoconstrictive effect of noise was shown through the significant elevation of after-load (P < 0.01). In a cross-sectional population study that was carried out on 2874 residents [1243 males and 1631 females] in Pancevo City, a significant odds ratio (adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habits) was found for self-reported hypertension (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.4, P < 0.01) in men with a high level of noise annoyance compared to those with a low level of noise annoyance. In another study on 2503 residents (995 men and 1508 women) residents of Belgrade, the proportions of men with hypertension in the noisy [(L night , 8h > 45 dB (A)] and quiet areas [(L night , 8h ≤ 45 dB (A)] were 23.6% and 17.5%, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for hypertension of the exposed group was 1.58 (95% CI = 1.03 - 2.42, P = 0.038), where men living in quiet streets were taken as a reference category. Associations between road traffic noise and blood pressure were also investigated in 328 preschool children in Belgrade. The systolic blood pressure was significantly higher among children from noisy residences and kindergartens, compared to children from both quiet environments (97.30 ± 8.15 and 92.33 ± 8.64 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.01). As a continuation of the study on preschool children, investigations were also carried out on 856 school children, aged between seven and eleven years, in Belgrade. It was found that systolic pressure was significantly higher among children from noisy schools and quiet residences, compared to children from both quiet environments (102.1 ± 9,3 and 100.4 ± 10.4 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.01).

Research on the cardiovascular effects of noise in Serbia started in the year 2002, including experimental studies on humans and epidemiological studies on the adult and children population of Belgrade and Pancevo. Experimental exposure to noise [L eq = 89 dB (A)] had a hypodynamic effect, significantly lowering the cardiac index, cardiac work, and pump performance (P < 0.01). The vasoconstrictive effect of noise was shown through the significant elevation of after-load (P < 0.01). In a cross-sectional population study that was carried out on 2874 residents [1243 males and 1631 females] in Pancevo City, a significant odds ratio (adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habits) was found for self-reported hypertension (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.4, P < 0.01) in men with a high level of noise annoyance compared to those with a low level of noise annoyance. In another study on 2503 residents (995 men and 1508 women) residents of Belgrade, the proportions of men with hypertension in the noisy [(L night , 8h > 45 dB (A)] and quiet areas [(L night , 8h ≤ 45 dB (A)] were 23.6% and 17.5%, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for hypertension of the exposed group was 1.58 (95% CI = 1.03 - 2.42, P = 0.038), where men living in quiet streets were taken as a reference category. Associations between road traffic noise and blood pressure were also investigated in 328 preschool children in Belgrade. The systolic blood pressure was significantly higher among children from noisy residences and kindergartens, compared to children from both quiet environments (97.30 ± 8.15 and 92.33 ± 8.64 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.01). As a continuation of the study on preschool children, investigations were also carried out on 856 school children, aged between seven and eleven years, in Belgrade. It was found that systolic pressure was significantly higher among children from noisy schools and quiet residences, compared to children from both quiet environments (102.1 ± 9,3 and 100.4 ± 10.4 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.01).

Background Vascular calcification (VC) is highly prevalent in dialysis (HD) patients, and its mechanism is multifactorial. Most likely that systemic or local inhibitory factor is overwhelmed by promoters of VC in these patients. VC increased arterial stiffness, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the association of VC and myocardial remodeling and to analyze their relationship with VC promoters (fibroblast growth factor 23-FGF23, Klotho, intact parathormon-iPTH, Vitamin D) in 56 prevalent HD patients (median values: Age 54 yrs, HD vintage 82 months). Methods Besides routine laboratory analyzes, serum levels of FGF 23, soluble Klotho, iPTH, 1,25-dihydroxyVitamin D3; pulse wave velocity (PWV); left ventricular (LV) mass by ultrasound; and VCs score by Adragao method were measured. Results VC was found in 60% and LV concentric or eccentric hypertrophy in 50% patients. Dialysis vintage (OR 1.025, 95%CI 1.007-1.044, p=0.006) FGF23 (OR 1.006, 95% CI 0.992-1.012, p=0.029) and serum magnesium (OR 0.000, 95%CI 0.000-0.214, p=0.04) were associated with VC. Changes in myocardial geometry was associated with male sex (beta=-0.273, 95% CI -23.967 1.513, p=0.027), iPTH (beta 0.029, 95%CI -0.059-0.001, p=0.027) and Vitamin D treatment (beta 25.49, 95%CI 11.325-39.667, p=0.001). Also, patients with the more widespread VC had the highest LV remodeling categories. PWV was associated patient's age, cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass (positively) and serum calcium (negatively), indicating potential link with atherosclerotic risk. Conclusions Despite to different risk factors for VC and myocardial remodeling, obtained results could indicate that risk factors intertwine in long-term treatment of HD patients and therefore careful and continuous correction of mineral metabolism disorders is undoubtedly of the utmost importance. © 2019 Marko Baralić, Voin Brković, Vesna Stojanov, Sanja Stanković, Nataša Lalić, Petar Durić, Ljubica Dukanović, Milorad Kašiković, Milan Petrović, Marko Petrović, Milan Stošović, Višnja Ležaić, published by sciendo.

Background Vascular calcification (VC) is highly prevalent in dialysis (HD) patients, and its mechanism is multifactorial. Most likely that systemic or local inhibitory factor is overwhelmed by promoters of VC in these patients. VC increased arterial stiffness, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the association of VC and myocardial remodeling and to analyze their relationship with VC promoters (fibroblast growth factor 23-FGF23, Klotho, intact parathormon-iPTH, Vitamin D) in 56 prevalent HD patients (median values: Age 54 yrs, HD vintage 82 months). Methods Besides routine laboratory analyzes, serum levels of FGF 23, soluble Klotho, iPTH, 1,25-dihydroxyVitamin D3; pulse wave velocity (PWV); left ventricular (LV) mass by ultrasound; and VCs score by Adragao method were measured. Results VC was found in 60% and LV concentric or eccentric hypertrophy in 50% patients. Dialysis vintage (OR 1.025, 95%CI 1.007-1.044, p=0.006) FGF23 (OR 1.006, 95% CI 0.992-1.012, p=0.029) and serum magnesium (OR 0.000, 95%CI 0.000-0.214, p=0.04) were associated with VC. Changes in myocardial geometry was associated with male sex (beta=-0.273, 95% CI -23.967 1.513, p=0.027), iPTH (beta 0.029, 95%CI -0.059-0.001, p=0.027) and Vitamin D treatment (beta 25.49, 95%CI 11.325-39.667, p=0.001). Also, patients with the more widespread VC had the highest LV remodeling categories. PWV was associated patient's age, cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass (positively) and serum calcium (negatively), indicating potential link with atherosclerotic risk. Conclusions Despite to different risk factors for VC and myocardial remodeling, obtained results could indicate that risk factors intertwine in long-term treatment of HD patients and therefore careful and continuous correction of mineral metabolism disorders is undoubtedly of the utmost importance. © 2019 Marko Baralić, Voin Brković, Vesna Stojanov, Sanja Stanković, Nataša Lalić, Petar Durić, Ljubica Dukanović, Milorad Kašiković, Milan Petrović, Marko Petrović, Milan Stošović, Višnja Ležaić, published by sciendo.

Objective - Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular and general mortality. Both arterial hypertension and obesity cause changes in structure and function of the left ventricle. Given the rising global epidemic of obesity, it is likely that adverse health consequences of excess adiposity will escalate in the future. The aim of this investigation was to assess the relation and predictive value of obesity on the occurrence of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive middle-aged women. Methods and results - Investigation was conducted on a sample of 64 middle-aged women, diagnosed with arterial hypertension and treated longer than 10 years in the absence of other chronic diseases or heart failure. Based on anthropometric parameters, 14 women (21.9%) had a body mass index (BMI) within the normal range, 17 (26.6%) were overweight, and 33 (52.5%) were obese. Left ventricular hypertrophy was assessed by electrocardiographic and echocardiographic criteria. The influence of anthropometric parameters on left ventricular hypertrophy and patterns in left ventricular geometry was assessed using multivariate regression analyses. The prevalence of LV hypertrophy was 7.1% among normal-weight hypertensive women, 41.2% among overweight and 66.7% among obese women. Compared to normal-weight women, overweight and obese hypertensive subjects had higher mean values of all ECG and echo parameters. The strong correlation between anthropometric and left ventricular parameters was observed. Multivariate analysis showed that percent of body fat (OR = 1.226; 95% CI 1.011-1.486) was the only independent predictor of left ventricular hypertrophy. Being overweight was identified as predictor for the development of eccentric LV hypertrophy (OR = 31.824; 95%CI 1.225-826.850), and for concentric left ventricular remodelling (OR = 20.755; 95%CI 1.119-385.029). Conclusions - Heart abnormalities occurring in arterial hypertension in conjunction with overweight/obesity include left ventricular hypertrophy and structural changes in the left ventricle. These findings support weight control and the regulation of blood pressure for the prevention of left heart abnormalities.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the aortoiliac segment is found in nearly a half of patients with PAD. The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of obesity and fat distribution on the occurrence of aortoiliac PAD in middle-aged men. Methods: This case-control study included 204 middle-aged men (mean 58 ± 7 years; range 45-70 years): 102 patients with aortoiliac PAD and 102 healthy controls without PAD. Aortoiliac PAD was diagnosed by ankle-brachial index (ABI) and angiography. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as: normal weight, overweight, and obese. Percents of body fat were grouped according to quartile distribution. The relationship between anthropometrics and aortoiliac PAD was estimated by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Patients with aortoiliac PAD had higher body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and percent of body fat. A strong correlation between all anthropometric parameters and ABI index and mean angiographic score was shown among patients with PAD. Multivariate regression, adjusted for blood pressure and cholesterol level, identified being overweight, body fat over 26.5% and WHR over 1.02 as predictors for aortoiliac PAD. Body fat over 26.5% and WHR over 1.02 remained significant after further adjustment for blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index. Conclusion: This study has identified the quantity of fat tissue (body fat over 26.5%) and its visceral distribution (waist-hip ratio over 1.02) as predictors of aortoiliac PAD in middle-aged men. Body mass index, a crude indicator of obesity, should be combined with these parameters when assessing the risk for aortoiliac PAD. © 2010 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND:: Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most common cardiovascular disease risk factor, affecting between 30 and 50% of the adult population in developed countries. A steady increase of the prevalence of AH by about 60% is expected by year 2025. METHODS:: Serbian Society of Hypertension conducted a prevalence study from February to May 2012 on a sample of 3878 adult respondents. The study included 2066 women (53.3%) and 1812 men (46.7%). Average age was 48.89 ±â€Š17.48 years. Most participants resided in urban areas (2956 people, 76.2%), whereas 922 resided in rural areas (23.8%). RESULTS:: The prevalence of AH in Serbia is 42.7%. Hypertension is more frequently diagnosed among women (53.3%), than among men (46.7%). One thousand, four hundred and twelve respondents were previously diagnosed and treated for hypertension. The estimated awareness of the presence of AH was 42.99% (i.e. 40.00% among male and 45.41% among female participants). Out of all diagnosed cases of hypertension, 390 persons (27.7%) have well regulated blood pressure values, whereas 1022 persons (72.3%) do not have their blood pressure under control. CONCLUSION:: Serbia belongs to countries with a high prevalence of AH. A poor control of AH may be explained in view of socioeconomic problems. High prevalence of AH may indicate a remarkably high cardiovascular disease mortality in Serbia. © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

BACKGROUND:: Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most common cardiovascular disease risk factor, affecting between 30 and 50% of the adult population in developed countries. A steady increase of the prevalence of AH by about 60% is expected by year 2025. METHODS:: Serbian Society of Hypertension conducted a prevalence study from February to May 2012 on a sample of 3878 adult respondents. The study included 2066 women (53.3%) and 1812 men (46.7%). Average age was 48.89 ±â€Š17.48 years. Most participants resided in urban areas (2956 people, 76.2%), whereas 922 resided in rural areas (23.8%). RESULTS:: The prevalence of AH in Serbia is 42.7%. Hypertension is more frequently diagnosed among women (53.3%), than among men (46.7%). One thousand, four hundred and twelve respondents were previously diagnosed and treated for hypertension. The estimated awareness of the presence of AH was 42.99% (i.e. 40.00% among male and 45.41% among female participants). Out of all diagnosed cases of hypertension, 390 persons (27.7%) have well regulated blood pressure values, whereas 1022 persons (72.3%) do not have their blood pressure under control. CONCLUSION:: Serbia belongs to countries with a high prevalence of AH. A poor control of AH may be explained in view of socioeconomic problems. High prevalence of AH may indicate a remarkably high cardiovascular disease mortality in Serbia. © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery, and short posterior ciliary artery and 24-hour blood pressure (BP) measurements in dipper and nondipper patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study was conducted on consecutive patients, referred or recruited, attending the outpatient service of our ophthalmology department. Ambulatory BP monitoring, Doppler imaging, and ocular pulse amplitude measurements were performed on the same day. Patients with nocturnal BP decrease up to 10% of the diurnal BP were defined as dippers and those with BP decrease less than 10% were defined as nondippers. Results: A total of 114 patients (36 nondippers and 78 dippers) were included in the study. The end-diastolic velocity was significantly lower and the resistivity index (RI) was significantly higher in the dippers than in the nondippers (p<0.0001 and p<0.0001, respectively). The RI in the OA was significantly correlated with daytime and nighttime systolic BP and with the daytime mean arterial pressure in the dippers. Conclusions: The RI in the OA significantly correlates with BP in patients with POAG with nocturnal BP dips. Additionally, retrobulbar blood flow parameters are reduced in dippers as compared with nondippers with POAG. © 2016 Wichtig Publishing.

Aim: To explore the relationship between sleep disturbances caused by traffic noise and relevant personality traits, such as extroversion- introversion, neuroticism, and subjective noise sensitivity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from January to April 2005 in a central municipality of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and Montenegro. Noise measurements were performed at 12 measurement sites three times at daytime and twice at night. On the basis of noise measurement results, three streets with the highest and three streets with the lowest values of equivalent sound pressure level (Leq) were chosen to represent noisy (>65 dB(A)) and quiet (<55dB(A)) areas, respectively. The respondents from both areas were asked to fill out the questionnaire on noise-related health problems. The final sample consisted of 310 respondents, 192 from noisy area and 118 from quiet area. Results: Respondents from noisy area reported having significantly more difficulties with falling asleep, being woken up by noise at night more often, and having more difficulties with falling back to sleep. They also complained of poorer sleep quality and tiredness after sleep and they slept by an open window in summer less often. Noise annoyance, subjective noise sensitivity, and neuroticism were significantly correlated with difficulties with falling asleep, time needed to fall asleep, poorer sleep quality, tiredness after sleep, and use of sleeping pills. After adjustment for potential modifying personality traits including subjective noise sensitivity, neuroticism, and extroversion, residence in noisy area was shown to be a significant predictor for difficulties with falling asleep (odds ratio [OR], 2.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-5.80), difficulties with falling back to sleep (OR, 1.87; 1.02-3.40), waking up at night (OR, 2.60; 1.49-4.52), sleeping by closed windows (OR, 13.51; 5.84-31.25), having poor sleep quality (OR, 2.99; 1.13-7.89), and feeling tired after sleep (OR, 2.50; 1.11-5.63). Conclusion: Urban population living in noisy area was at higher risk for sleep disturbances than population living in the quiet area. Furthermore, sleep disturbances were significantly and positively related to personality traits of neuroticism, subjective noise sensitivity, and noise annoyance.

Background and Objectives: Abnormal arterial stiffness (AS) is a major complication in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients treated by dialysis. Our study aimed to determine the significance of AS for survival of prevalent dialysis patients, as well as its association with cardiovascular parameters or vascular calcification promoters/inhibitors or both and AS. Materials and Methods: The study involved 80 adult hemodialysis patients. Besides standard laboratory analyses, we also determined promoters and inhibitors of vascular calcification (bone biomarkers): serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), soluble Klotho, intact parathormone (iPTH), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, osteoprotegerin, sclerostin, AS measured as ankle carotid pulse wave velocity (acPWV), Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), and vascular calcification (VC) score. Patients were monitored for up to 28 months. According to the median acPWV value, we divided patients into a group with acPWV ≤ 8.8 m/s, and a group with acPWV > 8.8 m/s, and the two groups were compared. Results: Values for bone biomarkers were similar in both groups. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), central systolic and diastolic brachial blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse pressure were higher in the group with acPWV > 8.8 m/s than in the group with acPWV ≤ 8.8 m/s. The mortality was higher for patients with acPWV > 8.8 m/s at any given time over 28 months of follow-up. In multivariable analysis, predictors of higher acPWV were age >60.5, higher pulse rate, and higher central systolic or brachial diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions: According to our results, we advise the measurement of acPWV preferentially in younger dialysis patients for prognosis, as well as intervention planning before the development of irreversible changes in blood vessels. In addition, measuring central systolic blood pressure seems to be useful for monitoring AS in prevalent hemodialysis patients. © MDPI AG. All rights reserved.

Introduction Extreme dippers are patients with a nocturnal fall of blood pressure (BP) of more than 20%, dippers have normal diurnal rhythm and decrease of BP of 10-15%, while patients with a nocturnal BP fall of less than 10% are considered to be non-dippers. Objective The aim of this study was to compare 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring results of normaltension glaucoma (NTG) patients with NTG suspects, as well as to determine whether NTG patients are more prone to daytime/nighttime systemic arterial BP and heart rate oscillations in comparison to NTG suspects. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional and observational study of 57 hypertensive patients (39 female and 18 male), all examined at the Eye and the Cardiology Clinic, Clinical Center of Serbia in Belgrade, between November 2011 and March 2012. Before 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring, complete ophthalmological examination was performed (intraocular pressure was measured with both Goldmann applanation and dynamic contour tonometer, as well as with computerized perimetry and Heidelberg retinal tomography). Results There was no statistically significant difference between NTG patients and NTG suspects both in systolic daytime (131.86-141.81 mmHg, SD=±14.92 vs. 129.67-141.83 mmHg, SD=±13; p=0.53) and nighttime measurements (117.1-129.7 mmHg, SD=±18.96 vs. 112.11-127.59 mmHg, SD=±16.53; p=0.53) as well as diastolic daytime (74.55-80.37 mmHg, SD=±8.72 vs. 75.19-82.41 mmHg, SD=±7.72; p=0.58) and nighttime measurements (65.66-71.48 mmHg, SD=±8.73 vs. 67.12-73.78 mmHg, SD=±7.11; p=0.34). There was no statistically significant difference between NTG patients and NTG suspects in heart rate during the day (72.73-76.36 beats per minute [bpm], SD=±5.44 vs. 72.15-76.45 bpm, SD=±4.59; p=0.43) nor during the night (64.4-71.9 bpm, SD=±6.74 vs. 68.02-72.48 bpm, SD=±4.76; p=0.11). Conclusion No statistically significant difference was found between NTG patients and NTG suspects in regard to their systolic and diastolic BP measured both during daytime and nighttime. NTG patients had lower nocturnal BP fall (both systolic and diastolic) than NTG suspects. © 2015 Serbia Medical Society. All rightsreserved.