Outcome after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in older patients: Effects of age, neurological deficit severity and blood pressure (BP) variations

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between BP variations and neurological deficit outcome in old-old patients after AIS. Fifty-four patients (66-96 years), admitted consecutively for stroke were assessed, using a non-invasive BP monitoring (NIBPM), measuring mean systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and their variation between days 1 and 7. Neurological assessment and cognitive function were evaluated using the NIH stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the short portable mental status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), respectively. Functional status was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (RS) and the Barthel index (BI). NIHSS on the 1st day positively correlated with SPMSQ score and with BI on day 21. The NIHSS variation (ΔNIHSS) between days 21 and 1 negatively correlated with mean 24-h BP change between days 7 and 1 (r=-0.59 for DBP and r=-0.54 for SBP; p<0.001). Age, severity of stroke at admission, history of hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF) and BP levels at admission were not correlated to ΔNIHSS. An inverse correlation between the decrease of 24-h BP within the first week and ΔNIHSS suggests prudence in lowering BP in the acute phase of stroke in elderly.