Artery Research (Dec 2017)

P58 ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER PERFORMANCE ON THE COGNITIVE TESTS AT DIFFERENT DOMAINS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

  • Henrique Muela,
  • Valeria Costa-Hong,
  • Michel Machado,
  • Natalia Moraes,
  • Claudia Memória,
  • Monica Yassuda,
  • Edson Shu,
  • Ayrton Massaro,
  • Ricardo Nitrini,
  • Alfredo Mansur,
  • Luiz Bortolotto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.080
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20

Abstract

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Background: Cognitive impairment and elevated arterial stiffness are described in arterial hypertension (AH), but its correlations are not well studied. Objectives: To study the cognitive function at different domains and arterial properties in patients with AH stage 1 to 3 compared to normotensives and to evaluate the correlations between these variables. Methods: We evaluated 71 normotensives (52±14 yrs, 47% male, 65% white) and 150 patients with stage 1–3 AH (52±12 yrs, 45% male, 70% white) under treatment. The global cognitive function was assessed by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).A validated battery of neuropsychological tests (NPE) assessed the main cognitive areas: memory, language, visuospatial ability, executive function, attention. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured by Complior® device. Carotid properties were assessed by radiofrequency ultrasound (WTS®). Central arterial pressure and augmentation index (AIx) were obtained using applanation tonometry (Sphygmocor®). Results: Mean BP of the normotensive group (122.1±8/76.7±7 mmHg) was significantly lower than hypertensive patients (135.2±13/83.3±10 and 149.9±29/91.5±16 mmHg). Severe HTN group had worse performance in cognitive evaluation either by MMSE (26.8±2.1 vs 27.4±2.1 vs. 28.0±2.0, p = 0.004) or MoCA test (23.4±3.7 vs. 24.9±2.8 vs. 25.5±3.2, p < 0.001). On the neuropsychological tests hypertensive patients had worse performance mainly in visuoperceptual and visuospatial capacities and executive function. On the multivariate regression analysis, the following independent associations were observed: Aix–language, executive function, visuospatial and attention; cSBP–MoCA; IMT–memory and attention; PWV–memory, executive function, visuospatial and attention. Higher PWV group had more cognitive dysfunction. Conclusions: Cognitive impairment at different domains was more frequent in patients with different stages of AH. Arterial functional and structural properties were diversely associated with cognitive performance at different domains.