Correlation of Admission Blood Pressures with 30-Day Outcome in Acute Ischaemic Stroke in Nigerians.

Abstract

Background: There is a lot of controversy on the prognostic value of admission blood pressures in acute ischaemic stroke, but in Nigeria, there is no information on this.
Objective: The objective of this study was to correlate the effect of blood pressures measured on admission with 30-day mortality and neurological handicap in Nigerians with acute ischaemic stroke.
Methods: This was a prospective observational study carried out between February, 2003 and May, 2004 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. All eligible
consecutively consenting ischaemic stroke patients were recruited. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) were measured on admission while pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were derived. Patients were periodically evaluated for progress and/or development of complications. Primary outcome was mortality within 30 days while secondary outcome was level of handicap on the modified Rankin Scale.
Results: 100 patients were studied (mean age 58.56±14.12 years); 53% were males. Overall 30-day case fatality rate was 28%. There was no significant correlation between admission blood pressures and 30-day mortality (SBP: r = -0.05, p= 0.62; DBP: r =
-0.12, p= 0.23; PP: r = 0.01, p= 0.90; MAP: r = -0.09, p= 0.36) or modified Rankin Score (SBP: r = -0.11, p= 0.29; DBP: r = -0.13, p= 0.21; PP: r= -0.06, p= 0.54; MAP: r = -0.13, p= 0.21). Conclusion: Admission blood pressures do not have significant influence on 30-day mortality and level of handicap in Nigerians with ischaemic stroke.

Keywords: correlation, ischaemic stroke, blood pressure,
outcome, Nigerians

Nigerian Medical Journal Vol. 48 (3) 2007: pp. 58-61