Prognostic value of 24-h ABPM in acute ischemic stroke for short-, medium-, and long-term outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The association of blood pressure levels during the acute phase of ischemic stroke with outcome remains controversial.

Aims: The objective of this systematic review is to assess the predictive value for stroke outcome assessed by the modified Rankin scale score of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring methods during the acute phase of ischemic stroke, compared with the values of casually derived blood pressure measurement on admission.

Methods: We searched for studies with patients admitted within 24 h of stroke onset, and who had ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during the first 24 h of admission. We identified studies that reported blood pressure in those with good outcome and in those with poor outcome at end of follow-up, and performed a meta-analysis of the effect of mean blood pressure on outcome.

Results: High systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels derived with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were associated with poor short-, medium-, and long-term outcome, but the same was not found for casual blood pressure measurements. An increase in systolic blood pressure of 9·1 mmHg (95% confidence interval: 6·6-11·6, P < 0·001; I(2) = 9%) and an increase in diastolic blood pressure of 2·3 mmHg (95% confidence interval: 0·8-3·7, P = 0·002; I(2) = 0%) were associated with poor outcome.

Conclusions: Higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels derived with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were associated with poor outcome. The same was not found for higher casual blood pressure measurements on admission, and it is possible that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring conveys better prognostic information.