Association between blood pressure and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with alteplase

Abstract

Background: The role of blood pressure (BP) in acute stroke remains unclear. We investigated the impact of BP trajectories during the first 24 hours (h) after hospital admission on outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous alteplase.

Methods: In 424 ischemic stroke patients from the NOR-TEST I trial treated with alteplase, we assessed systolic BP (sBP) at baseline, change in sBP between 0 h and 24 h, and increase in sBP over the same period. Outcomes included modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months, NIHSS at 24 h, and symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (sICH) within 48 h. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to explore the association of blood pressure trajectories and outcome adjusted for age, sex, time from onset of symptoms to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and NIHSS at admittance (NIHSSadm).

Results: Mean sBP at baseline (admittance), 2 h and 24 h were 155, 147 and 142 mmHg, respectively. An increase in sBP from baseline to 24 h was seen in 115 patients (27 %), while 409 showed an overall change. In unadjusted analyses, sBP increase (but not baseline sBP or change in sBP) was associated with worse mRS at 3 months. This remained significant after adjustment (OR 0.933, 95 %CI 0.876 - 0.993). Higher baseline sBP and sBP increase predicted worse NIHSS at 24 h. sBP increase and baseline sBP were also associated with sICH within 48 h, but only baseline sBP remained significant after adjustment (OR 1.022, 95 % CI 1.003-1.042).

Conclusions: An increase in sBP within the first 24 h was associated with worse neurological and functional outcomes at 3 months, while higher baseline sBP was linked to worse neurological outcomes and sICH in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with alteplase.

Clinical trial registration: NCT01949948.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Ischemic stroke; Outcome; Thrombolysis.