Cerebral Atherosclerosis Is Influenced By Systolic, Diastolic BP Differences

Both interarm systolic (IASBD) and diastolic (IADBD) blood pressure differences are associated with cerebral atherosclerosis, according to a recent study.

Currently, little information exists on the association of IASBD and IADBD with the presence of extracranial cerebral atherosclerosis and intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis, which are important risk factors for stroke.
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To explore this further, the researchers evaluated 1063 patients with noncardioembolic ischemic stroke in a retrospective hospital-based study. All patients included in the study had previously been checked for bi-brachial BPs from ankle-brachial index and brain magnetic resonance angiographic images of cerebral arteries.

The researchers defined IASBD and IADBD as the absolute value of the BP difference in both arms.

Results indicated that 100 (9.4%) of 1063 patients had IASBD of at least 10 mm Hg, and 56 (5.3%) patients had IADBD of at least 10 mm Hg. Ultimately, the researchers found that patients with IASBD of at least 10 mm Hg were more often burdened with intracranial and extracranial cerebral atherosclerosis, while patients with IADBD of at least 10 mm Hg were more often burdened with intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis but not extracranial cerebral atherosclerosis.

Results of a univariate analysis demonstrated that IASBD of at least 10 mm Hg was associated with the presence of both extracranial and intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis. Furthermore, IADBD of at least 10 mm Hg was associated with the presence of intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis only, but not with extracranial cerebral atherosclerosis only.

“Our study showed IASBD and IADBD were diversely associated with cerebral atherosclerosis,” the researchers concluded. “In noncardioembolic stroke patients with IASBD [of at least 10 mm Hg] or IADBD [of at least 10mm Hg], the possibility of accompanying cerebral atherosclerosis should be considered.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Chang Y, Choi GS, Lim SM, Kim YJ, Song TJ. Interarm systolic and diastolic blood pressure difference is diversely associated with cerebral atherosclerosis in noncardioembolic stroke patients. Am J Hypertens. 2017;31(1):35-42. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajh/hpx126.