Effect of indapamide and bisoprolol monotherapy on cerebrovascular reactivity in hypertensive patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Aim. To investigate the effect of indapamide and bisoprolol monotherapy on cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in patients with combined hypertension (HT) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Materials and Methods. A total of 66 patients with HT grade 1-2 and RA (average age of 59.0 ± 7.5 years) were included in an open-controlled randomized study in parallel groups. Group 1 included 33 patients treated with indapamide 2.5 mg/day. Group 2 included 33 patients treated with bisoprolol 6.0 ± 2.6 mg/day. We performed 24-h blood pressure monitoring and transcranial Doppler ultrasound of the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) with assessment of CVR during hyperoxia and hypercapnia tests before and after 24 weeks of treatment.Results. Indapamide treatment improved CVR parameters during hypercapnia test. The MCA peak systolic velocity increased significantly from 53.7 [34.8; 67.8] to 55.8 [37.6; 69.0] сm/s (p = 0.017). Bisoprolol treatment worsened CVR parameters during hypercapnia test. The speed modification of MCA blood flow velocity decreased significantly from 0.10 [0.05; 0.19] to 0.08 [-0.01; 017] cm/s2 (p = 0.032). The index of recovery of MCA blood flow velocity decreased significantly from 1.11 [0.95; 1.27] to 0.84 [0.78; 1.08] (p = 0.006)Conclusion. Indapamide treatment improved CVR parameters, but bisoprolol treatment worsened CVR parameters during hypercapnia test in patients with combined HT and RA.