Study on the relationship between blood pressure variability and leukoaraiosis in elderly patients with essential hypertension

Objective:To investigate the relationship between blood pressure variability and leukoaraiosis(LA) in elderly patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 102 elderly patients with essential hypertension were divided into the LA group(75 cases) and Non-LA(27 cases) according to the MRI imaging.According to the Fazekas scale,the LA group were subdivided into the mild LA group(23 cases),moderate LA group(27 cases) and severe LA group(25 cases) according to the LA lesions.Non-invasive portable blood pressure monitor was used to monitor the 24h blood pressure.The blood lipid index,hypertension course,24 h SBP,daytime SBP,nighttime SBP,24 h DBP,daytime DBP and nighttime DBP and blood pressure variability between two groups were compared.Results:The differences of the age,sex,hypertension course,serum levels of TC,TG and LDL-C between the two groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The 24 h SBP and DBP,daytime SBP and DBP,and nighttime SBP and DBP in LA group were higher than those in Non-LA group(P<0.05 to P<0.01).The 24 h SBPV and DBPV,daytime SBPV and DBPV and nighttime SBPV and DBPV in LA group were higher than those in Non-LA group(P<0.05 to P<0.01).The difference of the BPV among LA subgroup was statistically significant(P<0.01).The BPV in severe group was higher than that in mild LA group(P<0.01).The average daytime systolic blood pressure variability in severe group was higher than that in moderate LA group(P<0.05),and the average nighttime systolic blood pressure variability in moderate group was higher than that in mild LA group(P<0.01).Conclusions:The blood pressure variability of elderly patients with essential hypertension is related to the occurrence and severity of LA.