Evolution of blood pressure and clinical findings in the first 3 days after acute ischemic stroke in patients with and without moderate-severe sleep apnea

Background/objectives: Sleep apnea (SA) is recognized as cardiovascular risk factor and is present in about 50% of patients (pts) with acute ischemic stroke. Aim of our study is to analyze the evolution of blood pressure (BP) values in pts with and without moderate-severe sleep apnea (MSSA) and their correlations with the clinical evolution in the first three days after acute ischemic stroke. Patients/methods: We include pts with neuroradiologically proven ischemic stroke admitted within 24 hours after stroke onset. Stroke severity is estimated by NIH and Scandinavian stroke scale (NIHSS, SSS) at admission and 2 days later. Sleep breathing is assessed by a CPAP device during the first night of hospital stay. MSSA is defined by an apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI) more than 25. Blood pressure (BP) monitoring is measured by an ambulatory device every 30 minutes from 8 p.m. of day 1 until 6 a.m. of day 3 and analyzed for individual daytime and nighttime. BP dipping is defined by a ratio of nighttime/daytime mean systolic BP values of