title: Association between central blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the relationship between central blood pressure (CBP) indices and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in adults over the age of 50.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study conducted using a non-invasive SphygmoCor XCEL device. CBP indices and brachial blood pressure were measured in 50 inpatients and outpatients. MCI was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) instrument and by the European Consortium Criteria (ECC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-six percent of subjects had hypertension, and 52% were diagnosed as having MCI using the ECC. No significant association was found between any of the measured blood pressure variables and global cognition. A significant relationship was observed between augmentation index (AI) and abnormal clock-drawing (p= 0.04) and language (p= 0.02), and between pulse pressure amplification (PPA) and language (p= 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBP indices like AI and PPA, which are markers of vascular stiffness, are associated with poor executive function and language cognitive domain deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Padwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senthilselvan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada ; University of Alberta Hospital, B146, Clinical Sciences Building, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, T6G 2G3 Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alagiakrishnan
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Augmentation index; Augmentation pressure; Blood pressure; Cognitive impairment; Elderly