Blood pressure variability and leukoaraiosis amount in cerebral small-vessel disease.

Objectives – To analyze the correlation between blood pressure (BP) variability and leukoaraiosis (LA) amount in patients with symptomatic cerebral small-vessel disease. Materials and methods – We included 25 hypertensive patients: 13 with Binswanger's disease (BD) and 12 with a first-ever lacunar infarction (LI). Baseline office BP was obtained for 3 consecutive weeks. From a 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring performed 1 week later we obtained average systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP for daytime, nighttime and 24-h periods. SBP and DBP variability was defined as the within-subject standard deviation of all readings. A standardized cerebral MR was performed in each patient and an LA score was calculated. Results – No statistically significant correlation was obtained between the LA score and any of the following BP values: 1) Baseline SBP and DBP; 2) 24-h, daytime or nighttime SBP and DBP, and 3) 24-h, daytime or nighttime SBP and DBP variability. Conclusion – Increased BP variability is not associated with greater amounts of leukoaraiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]