title: Relationship between leuko-araiosis and blood pressure variability in the elderly.
abstract: Although leuko-araiosis is a common finding on computed tomographic (CT) scans of the brain, its pathogenesis remains uncertain. To investigate the association between blood pressure (BP) disturbances and leuko-araiosis, we retrospectively reviewed CT scans and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitorings of 79 elderly patients (57 women and 22 men; mean age: 83.3 +/- 6.4 years). Of the 79 patients, 50 were demented (30 had Alzheimer's disease and 18 vascular dementia) and 29 were not demented. The leuko-araiosis score (LA score) was determined by using Rezek's scale. To evaluate short-term variation of BP, we determined (1) the variability of systolic and diastolic BPs (SBP, DBP; within-subject standard deviation of all readings over a 24-hour period), (2) the coefficient of variability (variability of BP/mean BP) and (3) the maximal variation of BP (difference between the maximum and minimum 24-hour BPs). Higher LA scores were associated with higher SBPs in 24-hour, diurnal and nocturnal periods, higher maximal variation of SBP, greater variability of SBP during 24-hour, diurnal and nocturnal periods and greater coefficient of variability of SBP during sleep. Our study suggests that elevations and short-term variations of SBP may contribute to the pathogenesis of white matter lesions in elderly persons.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne et Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, France. fpuisieux@nordnet.fr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puisieux
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monaca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deplanque
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delmaire
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: di Pompeo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Monaca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leys
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pruvo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dewailly
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed