The Italian Multicenter Study of reversible cerebral ischemic attacks: IV--Blood pressure components and atherosclerotic lesions.

Utilizing the initial BP assessment in the 462 patients who entered the Italian Multicenter Study of reversible cerebral ischemia, an analysis of the effect of each BP component in respect of presence, extent and severity of atherosclerotic lesions, as displayed by angiography, was carried out separately for lesions located at either intra- or extracranial level. In a multivariate statistical model, among the following variables: sex, age, systolic BP, diastolic BP, cholesterol and smoking, systolic BP was found the best predictor of extent and severity of atherosclerotic lesions at extracranial level. None of the same variables was predictive of the severity of intracranial atherosclerosis. The results of this clinical study may confirm the indication, coming from physiopathologic observations, of a predominant role of systolic hypertension in the process of maintenance and acceleration of atherosclerosis in the large pre-cerebral arteries.