Association of visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure with cognitive function in old age: prospective cohort study

Sabayan, B. et al. (2013) Association of visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure with cognitive function in old age: prospective cohort study. BMJ Open, 347, f4600. (doi: 10.1136/bmj.f4600)

Abstract

<p>Objective To investigate the association between visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure and cognitive function in old age (>70 years).</p> <p>Design Prospective cohort study.</p> <p>etting PROSPER (PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk) study, a collaboration between centres in Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands.</p> <p>Participants 5461 participants, mean age 75.3 years, who were at risk of cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure was measured every three months during an average of 3.2 years. Visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure was defined as the standard deviation of blood pressure measurements between visits.</p> <p>Main outcome measures Four domains of cognitive function, testing selective attention, processing speed, and immediate and delayed memory. In a magnetic resonance imaging substudy of 553 participants, structural brain volumes, cerebral microbleeds, infarcts, and white matter hyperintensities were measured.</p> <p>Results Participants with higher visit-to-visit variability in systolic blood pressure had worse performance on all cognitive tests: attention (mean difference high versus low thirds) 3.08 seconds (95% confidence interval 0.85 to 5.31), processing speed −1.16 digits coded (95% confidence interval −1.69 to −0.63), immediate memory −0.27 pictures remembered (95% confidence interval −0.41 to −0.13), and delayed memory −0.30 pictures remembered (95% confidence interval −0.49 to −0.11). Furthermore, higher variability in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was associated with lower hippocampal volume and cortical infarcts, and higher variability in diastolic blood pressure was associated with cerebral microbleeds (all P<0.05). All associations were adjusted for average blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors.</p> Conclusion Higher visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure independent of average blood pressure was associated with impaired cognitive function in old age.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Stott J, Professor David and Ford, Professor Ian and Sattar, Professor Naveed
• Authors: Sabayan, B., Wijsman, L.W., Foster-Dingley, J.C., Stott, D.J., Ford, I., Buckley, B.M., Sattar, N., Jukema, J.W., van Osch, M.J.P., van der Grond, J., van Buchem, M.A., Westendorp, R.G.J., de Craen, A.J.M., and Mooijaart, S.P.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
• Journal Name: BMJ Open
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 2044-6055
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 BMJ Publishing Group
• First Published: First published in BMJ Open 347:f4600
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License