title: Pulse pressure--independent predictor of poor early outcome and mortality following ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulse pressure (PP) in acute stroke may be related to the outcome. The link between PP in the first week following ischemic stroke and early outcome was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculated mean PPs during the first 7 days after stroke onset in 1,677 patients. Poor outcome at hospital discharge was defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 3 or more points or death. Logistic regression was developed to evaluate PP as an independent predictor of early outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For patients with poor outcomes the mean PP during the first week was higher than that for patients with non-poor outcomes. A logistic regression model confirmed that elevated mean PP was independently associated with poor outcome at discharge and 30-day mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated PP during the acute phase of ischemic stroke is an independent predictor of poor early outcome at hospital discharge and 30-day mortality.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9, Warsaw, Poland. kgrabska7@wp.pl
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grabska
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niewada
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarzyńska-Długosz
authors.forename: Bogumił
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kamiński
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Członkowska
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015996:Survival Rate