Analysis of the Relationship between Recent Small Subcortical Infarcts and Autonomic Nervous Dysfunction

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease (CSVD). The study aimed to explore the relationship between Recent Small Subcortical Infarct (RSSI) and Blood Pressure Variability (BPV), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

A total of 588 patients from the CSVD registration research database of Henan Province were included in this study, and were divided into two groups according to the presence of RSSI. Clinical data, including demographic characteristics, disease history, laboratory indexes, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and electrocardiogram indicators, and imaging markers of CSVD, were collected. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were used to study the relationship between RSSI and indicators of laboratory, HRV and BPV in the CSVD population.

Multivariate analysis showed that higher 24-hour mean Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP)[Odds Ratios (OR)=1.083,95% Confidence Intervals (CI)=(1.038,1.129), p < 0.001], Standard Deviation (SD) of 24-hour DBP [OR=1.059,95%CI=(1.000,1.121), p = 0.049], nocturnal mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) [OR=1.020,95%CI=(1.004,1.035), p = 0.012], nocturnal mean DBP [OR=1.025,95%CI=(1.009,1.040), p = 0.002] were independent risk factors for RSSI. In contrast, the decrease of the standard deviation of N-N intervals (SDNN) [OR=0.994,95%CI=(0.989,1.000), p = 0.035] was beneficial to the occurrence of RSSI. In addition, neutrophil counts [OR=1.138,95%CI=(1.030,1.258), p = 0.011], total cholesterol (TC) [OR=1.203,95%CI=(1.008,1.437), p = 0.041] and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) [OR=0.391, 95%CI=(0.195,0.786), p = 0.008] were also independently associated with the occurrence of RSSI. After adjusting for confounding factors, except for TC, the other factors remained associated with the occurrence of RSSI.

Increased 24-hour mean DBP, nocturnal mean SBP and DBP, SD of 24-hour DBP and decreased SDNN were independently correlated with RSSI occurrence, suggesting that sympathetic overactivity plays a role in the pathogenesis of RSSI.