Association between central systolic blood pressure, white matter lesions in cerebral MRI and carotid atherosclerosis

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) observed on cerebral magnetic resonance images (MRIs) are associated with age and hypertension, suggesting a vascular mechanism of pathogenesis. Central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) correlates more closely with measures of cardiovascular disease risk than brachial pressure. We sought to determine whether cSBP correlates with WMHs and if cSBP is predictive of cerebrovascular disease. Radial applanation tonometric measurements for cSBP and augmentation index (AI) were carried out in unselected individuals undergoing carotid ultrasound. WMHs were assessed retrospectively using fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)-MRIs as periventricular (PVH) and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH), and they were rated using the Fazekas scale. A total of 179 patients, 94 (53%) men and 85 (47%) women, with a mean age of 66 +/- 13 years were included in the study. On MRI, 17, 74, 67 and 21 patients had PVH grades 0, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Forty-eight, 69, 49 and 13 had DWMH grades 0, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In our study population, PVH correlated with age, brachial SBP, cSBP and AI (r=0.49, 0.28, 0.23; P<0.002 and r=0.13; P<0.05, respectively). DWMH also correlated with age, brachial SBP and cSBP (r=0.41, 0.30, 0.22; P<0.003, respectively), but not with AI. cSBP values were associated with PVH/DWMH grades 2 and 3, but brachial SBP correlated only with grade 3. Mean carotid intima-media thickness (common carotid arteries (CCA)-IMT) was 0.68 +/- 0.13mm. CCA-IMT and plaque score (PS) correlated with PVH/DWMH. Multivariate regression analysis showed cSBP, age and PS to be independently associated with PVH and DWMH. Correlation of cSBP with PVH and DWMH was independent of PS. Central SBP correlated with PVH and DWMH in FLAIR-MRIs and can better predict WMHs than brachial SBP in earlier stages. Hypertension Research (2009) 32, 869-874; doi: 10.1038/hr.2009.121; published online 31 July 2009