The impact of short-term blood pressure variability on cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease patients without co-morbidities

Cardiovascular dysautonomia, cognitive decline and dementia are common non-motor features of Parkinson's disease. Short-term blood pressure variability may play a role in the pathogenesis of dementia. Sixty five patients with Parkinson's disease, without cardiovascular comorbidities, with no concomitant medications affecting cardiovascular system were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. They were divided according to their cognitive status and underwent clinical examination, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, orthostatic test, brain magnetic resonance imaging and laboratory tests. Twenty patients were cognitively intact, 23 presented mild cognitive impairment and 20 had dementia. There were no differences in duration of the disease or dopaminergic therapy between the groups. Patients with dementia when compared to those cognitively intact, had higher short-term blood pressure variability, assessed as standard deviation of daytime diastolic blood pressure and average real variability of systolic blood pressure. They also had a higher frequency of supine hypertension and lower nocturnal blood pressure fall (reverse dipping). Average real variability of systolic blood pressure, supine hypertension and reverse dipping correlated with cognitive impairment, especially with visuospatial, language and executive functions. Short-term blood pressure variability, supine hypertension and reverse dipping may contribute to the pathogenesis of dementia in PD.