Correlation between blood pressure variability and deep cerebral microbleeds in patients with acute ischemic stroke

To observe the 24-h ambulatory blood pressure characteristics of patients with acute ischemic stroke and explore the correlation between blood pressure variability and strictly deep cerebral microbleeds (CMBs).

A convenient sampling method was used to enrol 131 patients with acute ischemic stroke in the Department of Neurology between April 2021 and May 2022. Hospitalised patients with acute ischemic stroke were assessed retrospectively; their ambulatory blood pressure was monitored continuously for 24 h, and the relevant parameters were recorded. Magnetic susceptibility-weighted imaging was used to divide the CMBs into a strictly deep CMB group ( n = 24) and a non-CMB group ( n = 107) according to the location of the CMBs. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent correlation between the 24-h ambulatory blood pressure parameters and strictly deep CMBs. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was further used to analyse the predictive value of the ambulatory blood pressure parameters for strictly deep CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

The results showed that the night systolic blood pressure standard deviation and the night diastolic blood pressure standard deviation (NDBP-SD) in the strictly deep CMB group were higher than those in the non-CMB group ( p < 0.05). The multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the NDBP-SD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.205, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.011-1.436, p = 0.038) was an independent risk factor for strictly deep CMBs in patients. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve value of the NDBP-SD was 0.682, and the intercept was 7.81. When NDBP-SD is ≥ 7.81, the occurrence of strictly deep CMBs is closely related (OR = 3.872, 95% CI: 1.347-11.125, p = 0.012).

The NDBP-SD is an independent risk factor for strictly deep CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke. When NDBP-SD is > 7.81, it may promote the production of strictly deep CMBs.