Hypertension: The blood pressure determining parameter of white matter hyperintensity and microstructure damage

Small vessel disease and related risks of stroke and dementia are related to aging and hypertension, but it is unclear whether fluctuating or stable blood pressure (BP) is an important factor in the development of macroscopic hyperintensity and microscopic white matter damage.

Recently, a research article was published in Hypertension, an authoritative cardiovascular journal.

The researchers determined the linear correlation between neuroimaging markers (white matter hyperintensity [WMH] volume and diffusion imaging index) and mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure (PP), including uncorrected and corrected age, gender, and cardiovascular Risk factors, antihypertensive drugs, blood pressure sources and assessment centers.

Relationship between blood pressure parameters and outcome

Among 37041 participants aged 45 to 82 years (53% were women), univariate analysis showed that increased BP was associated with greater WMH volume diffusion index and white matter damage, and had a greater effect on PP ( The normalized effect size of WMH: mean arterial BP: 0.

It can be seen that the synergistic effect of PP and age increases the influence of age on WMH and diffusion index.

Karolina A.