Aim: The aim of the present study is to evaluate a possible relationship between non-dipper blood pressure pattern and aortic arch width.

Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring between June 2014 and December 2015 were enrolled to this study. The lack of adequate blood pressure drop at night (systolic <10%) was defined as a non-dipper blood pressure pattern. Aortic arch width on the chest X-ray was measured digitally by experienced doctors who did not know the result of ambulatory blood pressure monitorization. Non-dipper blood pressure predictors were investigated by multivariate regression analysis.

Results: A total of 271 patients were included in the study (125 patients non-dipper, 146 patients dipper). In non-dipper group, patients were older, prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus were higher and glomerular filtration rate was lower than dipper group. Aortic arch was significantly wider in the non-dipper group (38,5 ± 3,7 vs. 35,1 ± 4, p <0,001). In multivariate regression analysis, aortic arch width (β: 1,216; p <0,0010; CI: 1,109-1,334) and left ventricular mass index (β:0,968; p = 0,019; CI: 0,942-0,995) were found to be independent predictors of non-dipper blood pressure pattern.

Conclusion: There is an independent and strong relationship between the aortic arch width measured by chest X-ray and non-dipper blood pressure pattern. Increased aortic arch width on chest x ray may alert the doctors in the primary healty care center for the presence of non-dipper blood pressure pattern.

Keywords: Aortic arch width, Non-dipper blood pressure pattern, Chest X ray