Even mild depression is associated with among-day blood pressure variability, including masked non-dipping assessed by 7-d/24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

The effect of mild depression on blood pressure (BP) was assessed in 116 Japanese (32-79 years). As compared to non-depressive (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS-15 score<5) subjects, mild depressives (GDS-15 score: 1-15) had shorter sleep duration (p=0.021), lower subjective quality of life (health: p=0.016; life satisfaction: p<0.001; and happiness: p<0.001), and higher 7-d systolic BP (p<0.05). "Masked non-dipping" (dipping on day 1, but non-dipping on at least 1 of the following 6 d) was more frequent among depressive than non-depressive normotensives (p=0.008). Among-day BP variability may underlie cardiovascular disease accompanying a key component of psychological depression.