Hilkens NA, Klijn CJM, Richard E, et al. - There seems to be a U-shaped relationship between achieved systolic blood pressure (SBP) and dementia among patients with a recent non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke. The outcomes indicated that high blood pressure variability is correlated with an elevated risk of post-stroke dementia.

• In this study, 817 patients were diagnosed with dementia (2.1 per 100 person-years) during 39,818 person-years of follow-up.

• A significant nonlinear relationship was observed between mean SBP and the risk of dementia, implying a U-shaped association between mean SBP and dementia.

• It was shown that mean SBP of 120–129 mmHg was correlated with a significantly higher risk of dementia than 130–139 mmHg [odds ratio (OR) 1.28; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.03–1.58].

• No evidence of a U-shaped correlation was observed between mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and dementia, and no significant relationship between mean DBP categories and dementia.

• The findings revealed that a higher blood pressure variability was correlated with an elevated risk of dementia (OR 1.06 per point increase, 95% CI 1.02–1.04), independent of mean SBP.