Case Report: A case of TAFRO syndrome with severe and prolonged thrombocytopenia: diagnostic pitfalls.

Thrombocytopenia, anasarca, myelofibrosis, renal dysfunction, and organomegaly (TAFRO) syndrome is a rare condition with diverse clinical and pathological characteristics related to multi-organ damage. We report a case of TAFRO syndrome complicated by immune thrombocytopenia with prolonged fever and thrombocytopenia for several weeks. A 61-year-old man was transferred with sepsis caused by Enterococcus faecalis, and developed disseminated intravascular coagulation. Antibiotics treatment was initiated: however, low-grade fever and thrombocytopenia persisted despite the adequate antimicrobial treatment. Systemic edema, pleural effusion, and ascites had developed before hospitalization, and renal and liver function had deteriorated, resulting in progressive multi-organ damage. Prednisolone 40 mg/day was initiated based on the assumption of a condition in which excessive production of inflammatory cytokines would lead to systemic deterioration and fatal organ damage. Subsequently, the fever resolved, and renal function began to normalize. However, thrombocytopenia did not show much recovery trend after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy and initiation of thrombopoietin receptor agonists. Bone marrow biopsy results showed normal bone marrow with no malignant findings. Alternatively, significant clinical signs met the diagnostic criteria for TAFRO syndrome, and a renal biopsy revealed thrombotic microangiopathy, which is also reasonable for renal involvement in TAFRO syndrome. The use of cyclosporine remarkably corrected the thrombocytopenia. We considered this a case of TAFRO syndrome that developed after sepsis with disseminated intravascular coagulation and performed the differential diagnosis of prolonged thrombocytopenia and excluded it. Although TAFRO syndrome is a unique disease concept, diagnostic criteria may consist of nonspecific elements such as generalized edema, thrombocytopenia, persistent fever, and elevated inflammatory response, and there are many differential conditions to exclude, requiring caution in diagnosing TAFRO syndrome.

Cross-classification by systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and chronic kidney disease, proteinuria, or kidney function decline.

Predicting and preventing new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) through blood pressure (BP) measurements is worthwhile. This study assessed the risk of CKD, which was defined as proteinuria and/or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, according to cross-classification by systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP). This retrospective population-based cohort study analyzed data from 1,492,291 participants without CKD and without antihypertensive treatment in the JMDC database, which contains the annual health check-up data of Japanese aged <75 years. During a mean follow-up of 3.2 years, CKD incidence, proteinuria, and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 occurred in 92,587, 67,021, and 28,858 participants, respectively. When the SBP/DBP <120/<80 mmHg group was set as a reference, both high SBP and DBP were significantly associated with an elevated CKD risk. DBP tended to be more strongly associated with CKD risk than SBP; the hazard ratio of CKD was 1.44-1.80 in the group with SBP/DBP of 130-139/≥90 mmHg and 1.23-1.47 in the group with SBP/DBP of ≥140/80-89 mmHg. A similar result was observed for developing proteinuria and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. SBP/DBP ≥150/<80 mmHg was strongly associated with an elevated CKD risk due to the increased risk of eGFR decline. High BP, especially isolated high DBP levels, is a significant risk factor for CKD among individuals around middle age without kidney disease. Moreover, attention should be paid to kidney function, particularly eGFR decline, in the case of low DBP with extremely high SBP levels.

Reduced renal function is associated with prolonged hospitalization in frail older patients with non-severe pneumonia.

Objective: Pneumonia is a disease with high morbidity and mortality among older individuals in Japan. In practice, most older patients with pneumonia are not required ventilatory management and are not necessarily in critical respiratory condition. However, prolonged hospitalization itself is considered to be a serious problem even in these patients with non-critical pneumonia and have negative and critical consequences such as disuse syndrome in older patients. Therefore, it is essential to examine the factors involved in redundant hospital stays for older hospitalized patients with non-severe pneumonia, many of whom are discharged alive. Method: We examined hospitalized patients diagnosed with pneumonia who were 65 years and older in our facility between February 2017 and March 2020. A longer length of stay (LOS) was defined in cases in which exceeded the 80th percentile of the hospitalization period for all patients was exceeded, and all other cases with a shorter hospitalization were defined as a shorter LOS. In a multivariate logistic regression model, factors determining longer LOSs were analyzed using significant variables in univariate analysis and clinically relevant variables which could interfere with renal function, including fasting period, time to start rehabilitation, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score of 2 or higher, bed-ridden state. Results: We analyzed 104 eligible participants, and the median age was 86 (interquartile range, 82-91) years. Overall, 31 patients (30.7%) were bed-ridden, and 37 patients (35.6%) were nursing-home residents. Patients with a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 4 or higher, considered clinically frail, accounted for 93.2% of all patients. In multivariate analysis, for a decrease of 5 ml/min/1.73m2 in eGFR, the adjusted odds ratios for longer LOSs were 1.22 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.44) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: Reduced renal function at admission has a significant impact on prolonged hospital stay among older patients with non-severe pneumonia. Thoughtful consideration should be given to the frail older pneumonia patients with reduced renal function or with chronic kidney disease as a comorbidity at the time of hospitalization to prevent the progression of geriatric syndrome associated with prolonged hospitalization.

Behçet's Disease with Extremely High Levels of Urinary ß2-Microglobulin after Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Treatment.

Behçet's disease is an inflammatory disease which manifests itself as various symptoms, such as uveitis, oral and genital aphthae, erythema nodosa, gastro-intestinal ulcerations and encephalopathy. Among the manifestations, renal dysfunction is reported in some percentage of the patients with this disorder. We experienced a middle-aged male with Behçet's disease who showed an extremely high level of urinary ß2-microglulin, which is one of the markers of renal dysfunction, despite normal serum creatinine levels. The patient was on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy for 7 weeks, and this could have affected his renal dysfunction. The present report suggests that renal injury should not be underestimated in patients with Behçet's disease, especially in patients using NSAIDs.

Lifetime risk of stroke stratified by chronic kidney disease and hypertension in the general Asian population: the Ohasama study.

Lifetime risk (LTR) evaluates the absolute risk of developing a disease during the remainder of one's life. It can be a useful tool, enabling the general public to easily understand their risk of stroke. No study has been performed to determine the LTR of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with or without hypertension; therefore, we performed this study in an Asian population. We followed 1525 participants (66.0% women; age 63.1 years) in the general population of Ohasama, Japan. We defined CKD as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or proteinuria. Hypertension was defined as a systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/≥90 mmHg and/or the use of antihypertensive medication. We calculated the sex-specific LTR of stroke adjusted for the competing risk of death. During the mean follow-up period of 16.5 years, a first stroke occurred in 238 participants. The 10-year risk of stroke at the age of 45 years was 0.0% for men and women. The LTRs of stroke at the index age of 45 years (men/women) were 20.9%/14.5% for participants without CKD and hypertension, 34.1%/29.8% for those with CKD but not hypertension, 37.9%/27.3% for those with hypertension but not CKD, and 38.4%/36.4% for those with CKD and hypertension. The LTRs of stroke tended to be higher in younger participants than in older participants with CKD and/or hypertension. CKD contributed to the LTR of stroke, as did hypertension. The prevention of CKD and hypertension can reduce the LTR of stroke, especially in young populations.

Fabry Nephropathy in a Young Female Patient Presenting with Only Urinary Mulberry Bodies Treated with Chaperone Therapy.

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked disorder of the sphingolipid metabolism, caused by deficiency or decreased activity of α-galactosidase A. We report a rare case of Fabry nephropathy (FN) in a 21-year-old Japanese female patient presenting with only urinary mulberry bodies; she was treated with pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT) after renal biopsy. The patient underwent a detailed examination because her mother was diagnosed with FD in the Division of Community Medicine of our hospital. She did not have renal dysfunction or proteinuria, and only mulberry bodies were detected in the urine. The activity of α-galactosidase A was low, and genetic analysis revealed the R301Q mutation. A percutaneous renal biopsy was performed, and the findings revealed enlargement and vacuolation of glomerular podocytes by light microscopy, and myelin and zebra bodies were detected in podocytes by electron microscopy. She was diagnosed with FN by renal biopsy and gene analysis. PCT was selected as the treatment to prevent cardiac events and renal dysfunction. The present case suggests that renal biopsy may be necessary even for young women with only mulberry bodies for the diagnosis of FN. It could be useful to evaluate the effect of treatment using the counts of mulberry bodies in the urine. In addition, due to its oral administration, PCT may be suitable for patients who are unable to visit the hospital frequently.

Suboptimal initiation predicts short-term prognosis and vulnerability among very elderly patients who start haemodialysis.

AIM: A recent, growing concern regarding haemodialysis in Japan is a sustained increase in the elderly population. Among very elderly people who start haemodialysis, the prognosis is considered to be poor; however, this has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to discover the short-term prognosis and related factors in very elderly patients who commence haemodialysis. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2013, 122 patients aged ≥85 years at haemodialysis initiation were documented in our hospital. Predictors of 90-day and 1-year mortality after haemodialysis initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Selection of covariates for the multivariate model was based on forward stepwise selection using the probability of a likelihood ratio statistics. RESULTS: The subjects' mean age was 87.4 ± 2.5 years, and 48% were female. The most common cause of death was infection (38% of patients) and the leading cause of infectious death was pneumonia. The 90-day and 1-year survival rates were 81% and 62%, respectively. Suboptimal initiation was a significant prognostic factor for 90-day [hazard ratio (HR) 3.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-13.43] and 1-year [HR 3.19, 95% CI 1.51-6.76] mortality after adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Very elderly patients who started haemodialysis had a poor prognosis, and suboptimal initiation significantly predicted outcome. Shared decision-making with patients and their families is needed for initiating haemodialysis on the conditions that appropriate information on the expected prognosis is provided.

Clinical Diversity in Patients with Anderson-fabry Disease with the R301Q Mutation.

Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) is a rare X-linked disorder caused by deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-GAL A). We herein report 10 cases of AFD in 5 families (3 men and 7 women) that were found to have a specific common mutation in R301Q [G-to-A transition in exon 6 (codon 301) resulting in the replacement of a glutamine with an arginine residue]. We evaluated their clinical characteristics, residual enzymatic activity, and plasma concentrations of globotriaosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb3). Although all 10 cases had cardiac and renal manifestations in common, their clinical manifestations were markedly divergent despite the same genetic abnormality.

Efficacy of statin on vascular access patency in diabetic hemodialysis patients.

INTRODUCTION: An effective approach to prevent hemodialysis vascular access dysfunction is still unclear despite previous studies, which have shown conflicting results of several drugs on vascular access outcomes. In this study, we focused on diabetic hemodialysis patients with native arteriovenous fistula and evaluated the impact of statin treatment on vascular access patency. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 268 consecutive patients who newly started hemodialysis due to diabetic nephropathy between January 2011 and December 2013 at Japan Community Health Care Organization Sendai Hospital was performed and the patients were followed for two years. The primary outcome was vascular access dysfunction. Effect of statin treatment was examined using Kaplan Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard, after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 426.7 days, and 117 (52.2%) patients developed vascular access dysfunction. The two-year patency rate was 55.0% among statin users and 36.1% in non-users. Vascular access survival period was significantly longer among statin users (log-rank test, p = 0.004). In multivariable analysis, statin treatment is significantly associated with better vascular access outcomes, in which the hazard ratio was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.97; p = 0.028) in the unadjusted model and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.88; p = 0.007) after adjustment for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Statin treatment could be associated with improved vascular access dysfunction among diabetic hemodialysis patients.

Impaired Higher-Level Functional Capacity as a Predictor of Stroke in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Ohasama Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Functional capacity is a predictor, as well as a consequence, of stroke. However, little research has been done to examine whether higher-level functional capacity above basic activities of daily living is a predictor of stroke. METHODS: We followed 1493 Japanese community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years (mean age, 70.1 years) who were independent in basic activities of daily living and had no history of stroke. Baseline data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Higher-level functional capacity was measured using the total score and 3 subscales (instrumental activities of daily living, intellectual activity, and social role) derived from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 10.4 years, 191 participants developed a first stroke. Impaired higher-level functional capacity based on total score of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence was significantly associated with stroke (hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.33). Among the 3 subscales, only intellectual activity was significantly associated with stroke (hazard ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.22). Social role was significantly associated with stroke only among those aged ≥75 years (hazard ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-2.98). CONCLUSIONS: Impaired higher-level functional capacity, especially in the domain of intellectual activity, was a predictor of stroke, even among community-dwelling older adults with independent basic activities of daily living at baseline. Monitoring of higher-level functional capacity might be useful to detect those at higher risk of developing stroke in the future.

Night-time blood pressure is associated with the development of chronic kidney disease in a general population: the Ohasama Study.

OBJECTIVE: Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) is reportedly associated with target organ damage. However, whether ambulatory BP carries prognostic significance for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been confirmed. METHOD: We measured ambulatory BP in 843 participants without CKD at baseline from a general Japanese population and examined the incidence of CKD defined as positive proteinuria or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 60 ml/min per 1.73 m at health checks. The association between baseline ambulatory BP and CKD incidence was examined using the Cox proportional hazard regression model adjusted for sex, age, BMI, habitual smoking, habitual alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, a history of cardiovascular disease, antihypertensive medication, eGFR at baseline, the number of follow-up examinations, and the year of the baseline examination. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants averaged 62.9 ±â€Š8.1 years, 71.3% were women and 23.7% were under antihypertensive medication. During a median follow-up of 8.3 years, 220 participants developed CKD events. The adjusted hazard ratios for CKD in a 1-standard deviation increase in daytime and night-time SBP were 1.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.30] and 1.21 (95% CI 1.04-1.39), respectively. When night-time and daytime BP was mutually adjusted into the same model, only night-time BP persisted as an independent predictor of CKD. CONCLUSION: Night-time BP is a better predictor of CKD development than daytime BP in the general population. Ambulatory BP measurement is considered useful for evaluating the risk of progression to CKD.

Home blood pressure level, blood pressure variability, smoking, and stroke risk in Japanese men: the Ohasama study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and smoking independently contribute to the risk of stroke. Our objective was to investigate home blood pressure (HBP) levels, day-by-day BP variability, and smoking in the prediction of stroke in Japanese men. METHODS: In this study, 902 men (mean age, 58.6 years) without a past history of stroke were evaluated. HBP was measured once every morning for 4 weeks. Day-by-day BP variability was defined as within-subject standard deviations (SD) of HBP. Smoking history was obtained from a standardized questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) for stroke were examined by Cox regression model, with adjustment for possible confounders. RESULTS: During 13.1 years (median) of follow-up, 89 cerebral infarctions, 28 intracranial hemorrhages, and six other strokes occurred. Systolic HBP levels (HR = 1.59 per 14.6 mm Hg increase, P < 0.0001) and variability (HR = 1.26 per 3.1 mm Hg increase, P = 0.03) of +1 between-subject SD were significantly associated with cerebral infarction. The relationship between HBP and cerebral infarction differed with smoking status (interaction P = 0.021 and 0.017 for systolic level and variability, respectively). In analyses stratified according to smoking, systolic level (HR = 1.78, P < 0.0001) and variability (HR = 1.38, P = 0.006) were significantly associated with cerebral infarction in ever smokers (N = 511), but not in never smokers (N = 391; P ≥ 0.6 for both). No significant association was found between smoking and the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: In ever smokers, both HBP levels and variability are significantly associated with the risk of cerebral infarction. Our findings further validate the benefit of smoking cessation in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially cerebral infarction.

Plasma renin activity and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio are associated with the development of chronic kidney disease: the Ohasama Study.

BACKGROUND: The aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) is used to screen for primary aldosteronism and could be an index for salt sensitivity. The association between ARR and the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is completely unknown. METHOD: A longitudinal observational study involving 689 participants from a general Japanese population (mean age 58.2 years; 68.5% women) who did not have CKD and were not receiving antihypertensive medication at baseline was conducted. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated from serum creatinine levels, and CKD was defined as eGFR less than 60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2) and/or dipstick-positive proteinuria. The associations of baseline plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone concentration, and ARR with the development of CKD were examined using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusted for sex, age, BMI, smoking, drinking, history of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease, SBP, and baseline eGFR. RESULTS: During a mean 9.1-year follow-up, 118 participants developed CKD. A 1 standard deviation increment in the natural log-transformed (ln) ARR was positively associated with the incidence of CKD (hazard ratio 1.29, P = 0.012). LnPRA showed an inverse association (hazard ratio 0.76, P = 0.007). Meanwhile, plasma aldosterone concentration was not associated with CKD. Individuals who developed CKD had significantly lower baseline PRA (0.97 vs. 1.14 ng/ml per h; P = 0.03) and higher baseline ARR levels [66.6 vs. 56.8 (pg/ml)/(ng/ml per h); P = 0.02] than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Lower PRA and higher ARR were associated with the development of CKD in a general population, suggesting that they are independent predictors of CKD.

Aldosterone-to-renin ratio as a predictor of stroke under conditions of high sodium intake: the Ohasama study.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone is thought to have deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system. The aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) is more reproducible than aldosterone levels alone and could be an index for inappropriate aldosterone secretion or activity. We previously reported the apparent relation between ARR and hypertension in subjects with high sodium intake. This prospective study investigated the risk of ARR for a first stroke in a general population stratified by sodium intake. METHODS: We obtained plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC) for 883 participants aged ≥ 35 years not receiving antihypertensive treatment in the general population of Ohasama (mean age: 59.0 ± 11.3 years; 65.6% women). RESULTS: Over a mean of 10.9 follow-up years, 45 strokes occurred. The median PRA, PAC, and ARR were 1.2 ng/ml/h, 6.4 ng/dl, and 5.3 ng/dl per ng/ml/h, respectively. Using Cox regression, we computed hazard ratios adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and systolic blood pressure. No association between logARR and stroke was observed in subjects overall. However, in subjects with high sodium intake (≥ median of 4,058 mg/day (salt equivalent, 10.5 g/day)), each 1 s.d. increase in logARR was associated with an increased hazard ratio for stroke (hazard ratio: 1.49, P = 0.04). No significant association was observed in subjects with low sodium intake (P = 0.7). When we repeated all the analyses using logPRA or logPAC, no significant associations were found. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that high ARR, that is, relative aldosterone excess, is a predictor for stroke under conditions of high sodium intake.

Pre-hypertension as a significant predictor of chronic kidney disease in a general population: the Ohasama Study.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it is unclear whether pre-hypertension is related to the incidence of CKD. METHODS: The incidence of CKD defined as positive proteinuria or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) was examined in 2150 inhabitants without pre-existing CKD from the general Japanese population. The association of blood pressure and CKD incidence was examined using a Cox regression model adjusted for age, sex, habitual smoking and drinking, obesity, history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia, eGFR at baseline, number of follow-up examinations and year of baseline examination. Participants were categorized according to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. RESULTS: Participants were categorized into normotension (n = 586, 27.3 % ), pre-hypertension (n = 815, 37.9 % ), Stage 1 hypertension (n = 386, 18.0 % ) and Stage 2 hypertension (n = 363, 16.9 % ). During a mean follow-up of 6.5 years (14 023 person-years), 461 incidences of CKD were recorded. Compared to normotension, adjusted hazard ratios of CKD were significantly higher for pre-hypertension (1.49, P < 0.003), Stage 1 (1.83, P < 0.001) and Stage 2 (2.55, P < 0.001) hypertension. The population-attributable fraction of pre-hypertension (12.1 % ) was considered to be compatible to that of Stage 1 (8.6 % ) and Stage 2 (14.9 % ) hypertension. CONCLUSION: This was the first study to demonstrate that pre-hypertension was significantly associated with an increased risk of CKD and was one of the considerable causes of CKD in the general population.

Predictive value for mortality of the double product at rest obtained by home blood pressure measurement: the Ohasama study.

BACKGROUND: To clarify whether the double product (DP) (product of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse rate (PR)) at rest based on home blood pressure (HBP) measurement has prognostic value for mortality. METHODS: HBP data of 2,583 participants from a Japanese general population (40% men) ≥35 years of age (mean, 59 years) without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were obtained. The prognostic significance for a 1,000 mm Hg × beats/min elevation in the DP was determined by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The association between mortality and the DP was compared to that between mortality and the SBP or the PR using the likelihood ratio (LR) test. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 12.0 years, 454 total deaths, 153 CVD deaths (85 cardiac diseases, 68 strokes), and 301 non-CVD deaths occurred. The DP was positively and significantly associated with total, CVD, cardiac, stroke, and non-CVD mortality. The LR test showed that the DP was more strongly associated with total mortality, mortality from cardiac disease, and non-CVD than SBP. Similarly, the DP was more strongly associated with total death, CVD death, and death from stroke than PR. CONCLUSIONS: The home DP was significantly associated with mortality, and the LR test indicated that the association between the DP and mortality would be stronger than that between mortality and SBP or PR. These findings are preliminary, and further study is needed to confirm the usefulness of the DP in risk stratification.

Aldosterone-to-renin ratio and nocturnal blood pressure decline in a general population: the Ohasama study.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) is an index for inappropriate aldosterone activity and salt sensitivity. We previously reported that elevated ARR might be associated with salt-sensitive hypertension. Because salt-sensitive hypertensive patients are reported to show a diminished nocturnal decline in blood pressure, we hypothesized that high ARR may be associated with diminished nocturnal decline in blood pressure (generally referred to as a 'nondipping' pattern), especially in individuals with high sodium intake. METHODS: This study tested this hypothesis in 184 participants aged at least 55 years not receiving antihypertensive treatment in a general Japanese population (age: 67.6 ±â€Š6.9 years; 71.7% women). RESULTS: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring identified 63 (34.2%) participants with a nondipping pattern (nocturnal decline of SBP <10%). The median plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), and ARR were 0.8 ng/ml per h, 8.3 ng/dl, and 8.7 ng/dl per (ng/ml per h), respectively. After adjustment for possible confounding factors, each 1 SD increase in logARR was associated with the prevalence of nondipping pattern (odds ratio, 1.95; P = 0.002). This association was observed in individuals in the highest tertile of 24-h urinary sodium excretion estimated from spot urine data (e24-hUNa; ≥179.6 mEq/day; P = 0.01) but disappeared in those in the lowest tertile of e24-hUNa (<147.9 mEq/day; P = 0.6). In those in the highest tertile of e24-hUNa, PRA was significantly lower in nondippers than in dippers (0.49 vs. 0.85 ng/ml per h) despite no differences in PAC. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that relative aldosterone excess might be related to a nondipping pattern of blood pressure, especially in individuals with high sodium intake.