Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) associates with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure variability in type 2 diabetes and controls

Background and aim: Endothelial dysfunction is a common feature in hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Whether blood pressure (BP) variability is influencing serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) remains to be clarified. We aimed to assess the association between the circulating adhesion molecules and ambulatory blood pressure variability in patients with type 2 diabetes and controls. Patients and methods: The study included data from type 2 diabetes with controlled BP (n = 55), type 2 diabetes with uncontrolled BP (n = 55) and control subjects (n = 28). ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. BP variability was assessed using standard deviation of mean systolic and diastolic BP evaluated during 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Results: The uncontrolled BP type 2 diabetes group had significantly higher serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels compared to controlled BP type 2 diabetes and control groups. In linear regression analysis, after adjustment, higher ICAM-1 was consistently associated with higher daytime and 24-hour diastolic BP variability, and daytime systolic BP variability in the study population. VCAM-1 was associated only with daytime systolic BP variability. Conclusions: Our study evaluating the association of serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 with 24-hour ambulatory BP variability in patients with type 2 diabetes and controls might offer better understanding of the mechanisms generating endothelial dysfunction. Elevated 24-hour ambulatory BP variability might induce endothelial activation by increasing circulating adhesion molecules levels.