Genetically predicted blood pressure across the lifespan: differential effects of mean and pulse pressure on stroke risk.
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Hypertension is the leading risk factor for stroke. Yet, it remains unknown whether blood pressure pulsatility (pulse pressure [PP]) causally affects stroke risk independently of the steady pressure component (mean arterial pressure [MAP]). It is further unknown how the effects of MAP and PP on stroke risk vary with age and stroke cause. Using data from UK Biobank (N=408 228; 38-71 years), we selected genetic variants as instruments for MAP and PP at age ≤55 and >55 years and across age deciles. We applied multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses to explore associations with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and their subtypes. Higher genetically predicted MAP was associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage across the examined age spectrum. Independent of MAP, higher genetically predicted PP only at age >55 years was further associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke (odds ratio per-SD-increment, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.13-1.34]). Among subtypes, the effect of genetically predicted MAP on large artery stroke was attenuated, whereas the effect of genetically predicted PP was augmented with increasing age. Genetically predicted MAP, but not PP, was associated with small vessel stroke and deep intracerebral hemorrhage homogeneously across age deciles. Neither genetically predicted MAP nor PP were associated with lobar intracerebral hemorrhage. Beyond an effect of high MAP at any age on ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, our results support an independent causal effect of high PP at older ages on large artery stroke. This finding warrants further investigation for the development of stroke preventive strategies targeting pulsatility in later life.
Date Issued
2020-07-06
Date Acceptance
2020-06-03
Citation
Hypertension, 2020, 76 (3), pp.953-961
ISSN
0194-911X
Publisher
American Heart Association
Start Page
953
End Page
961
Journal / Book Title
Hypertension
Volume
76
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Authors. Hypertension is published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. This is an open access
article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the
original work is properly cited.
article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the
original work is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32623925
Subjects
Mendelian randomization analysis
arterial pressure
blood pressure
hypertension
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2020-07-06