Abstract: To investigate the relationship between blood pressure variability (BPV) and neurological deteri⁃ oration (ND) during the acute phase in patients with hypertensive minor ischemic stroke. Methods A total of 200 hyperten⁃ sive patients with acute minor ischemic stroke were recruited in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: stable group (n=182) and deterioration group (n=18) according to the neurological prognosis. Values of BPV in 24 h ambulatoryblood pressure, 24 h systolic blood pressure variation coefficient (24 h CVSBP), 24 h diastolic blood pressure variation coeffi⁃ cient (24 h CVDBP), day time systolic blood pressure variation coefficient (dCVSBP), day time diastolic blood pressure variation coefficient (dCVDBP), night time systolic blood pressure variability (nCVSBP) and night time diastolic blood pressure variability (nCVDBP) were compared between two groups. The related factors of BPV were analyzed by binary logistic method in the acute phase of patients with hypertensive minor ischemic stroke. Results There were significantly higher levels of 24 h CVSBP [17.75% (17.54% ,19.26% ) vs 12.78% (10.67% ,14.39% )], 24 h CVDBP [25.48% (20.77% ,27.87% ) vs 17.95% (14.88% , 21.46%)], dCVSBP [18.61%(17.65%,20.65%) vs 12.30%(10.10%,14.75%)], dCVDBP [25.65%(21.25%,29.78%) vs 17.76% (14.89%,22.19%)] in deterioration group than those of stable group (P＜0.01). Results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that values of 24 h CVSBP and dCVSBP were risk factors for neurological deterioration in the acute phase of patients with hypertensive minor ischemic stroke. Conclusion The increased 24 h BPV and day time BPV are correlated with neurologi⁃ cal deterioration during the acute phase in hypertensive minor ischemic stroke patients. BPV should be concerned in the acute phase and secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke.

Key words: brain infarction, hypertension, custodial care, blood pressure determination, ischemic attack, transient, stroke, prognosis, blood pressure variability