title: Blood pressure and early clinical outcome among acute ischemic stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association between blood pressure (BP) and short-term clinical outcome of acute ischemic stroke is inconclusive. We investigated the association between BP in the first 72 hours following admission and death in-hospital and neurologic deficiency at discharge among patients with acute ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2675 acute ischemic stroke patients confirmed by a computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging were included in the present study. Blood pressure in the first 72 hours after admission and other study variables were collected for all ischemic stroke patients. Neurological functions National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were evaluated by trained neurologists at discharge. The study outcome was defined as death in-hospital and neurologic deficiency (NIHSS≥10) at discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systolic and diastolic BP were significantly and positively associated with odds of study outcome in acute ischemic stroke. For example, compared to those with a systolic BP<140 mmHg, multiple-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of study outcome was 3.29(1.22, 8.90) among participants with systolic BP of 180-219 mmHg, P<0.05; compared to those with a diastolic BP<90 mmHg, multiple-adjusted odds ratio of study outcome was 7.05(1.32, 37.57) among participants with diastolic BP≥120 mmHg, P<0.05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systolic BP≥180 and diastolic BP≥120 were significantly and positively associated with death in-hospital or neurologic deficiency at discharge among patients with acute ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The 88th Hospital of PLA, Taian, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jintao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Huanqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yonghong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods