[Systolic blood pressure and functional outcome in patients with acute stroke: a Mexican registry of acute cerebrovascular disease (RENAMEVASC)].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between the admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 30-day outcome in patients with acute cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS: The REgistro NAcional Mexicano de Enfermedad VAScular Cerebral (RENAMEVASC) is a hospital-based multicenter registry performed between November 2002 and October 2004. A total of 2000 patients with clinical syndromes of acute cerebrovascular disease confirmed by neuroimaging were registered. The modified Rankin scale was used for outcome stratification.

RESULTS: We analyzed 1721 patients who had registered their SBP: 78 (4.5%) had transient ischemic attack, 894 (51.9%) brain infarction, 534 (30.9%) intracerebral hemorrhage, 165 (9.6%) subarachnoid hemorrhage and 50 (2.9%) cerebral venous thrombosis. Among 1036 (60.2%) patients with the antecedent of hypertension, only 32.4% had regular treatment. The 30-day case fatality rate presented a J pattern with respect to SBP, so that the risk of death was highest in <100 mmHg (37.5%), decreased between 100 and 139, and reached gradually a new zenith in ?220 mmHg (35.3%). The best functional outcome corresponded to patients who had SBP between 100 mmHg and 159 mmHg. In a Cox proportional hazards model, SBP <100 mmHg or ?220 mmHg was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality (RR: 1.52, IC 95%: 1.07 - 2.15), as well as the antecedent of hypertension (RR: 1.33, IC 95%: 1.06 - 1.65) and age >65 years (RR: 2.16, IC 95%: 1.74 - 2.67).

CONCLUSION: Both hypotension and significant arterial hypertension at hospital admission are associated with an adverse outcome after acute cerebrovascular disease. Nevertheless, a good functional outcome can be attained in a wide range of SBP.