Associations between change in blood pressure and functional outcome, early events and death: results from the Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke trial.

High blood pressure (BP) is associated with a poor outcome after acute stroke. Early reduction in BP may be associated with fewer early adverse events and deaths, and improved functional outcome. Analyses used data from the Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke trial, a multicentre randomized single-masked and outcome-masked trial of glyceryl trinitrate vs. no glyceryl trinitrate in 4011 patients recruited within 48 h of an ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke and with raised SBP (140-220 mmHg). Change in SBP from baseline to day 1 was categorized as: more than 15% decrease, 15-5% decrease, 5% decrease to 5% increase (no change - reference) and more than 5% increase. The primary outcome was functional outcome (modified Rankin scale) score at 90 days. Across all patients, both moderate (5-15%) and large (>15%) decreases in SBP were associated with beneficial shifts in the modified Rankin scale relative to patients with no change in BP: adjusted common odds ratio (OR) 0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.90] and OR 0.84 (95% CI 0.71-1.00), respectively. A moderate decrease in SBP was also associated with a lower risk of early adverse events, adjusted OR 0.69 (95% CI 0.52-0.90). Modest decreases in SBP in acute stroke appear to be associated with fewer early events and better long-term functional outcome.