Stroke patients with cerebral microbleeds on MRI scans have arteriolosclerosis as well as systemic atherosclerosis
Hypertension Research, 07/05/2012  Clinical Article

Shimoyama T et al. – The results indicated that ischemic stroke patients with Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) may have cerebral arteriolosclerosis as well as systemic atherosclerosis.

• The authors prospectively studied 105 patients (71 males, median age=70.0 years) with acute ischemic stroke.
• All of the patients were examined using T2*–weighted gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for and assess the CMBs and using fluid–attenuated inversion recovery to evaluate white matter hyperintensity (WMH).
• The authors assigned the patients into CMB and non–CMB groups and compared the clinical characteristics of these groups.
• The factors associated with CMBs were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. T2*–weighted gradient echo MRI revealed CMBs in 47 patients (44.8%) and no CMBs in 58 patients (55.2%).

• The CAVI was significantly higher in the CMBs group (10.5 vs. 8.6, P<0.001).
• In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, CAVI per one point increase (odds ratio (OR), 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–2.00; P=0.006), advanced WMH (OR, 4.78; 95% CI, 1.55–14.74; P=0.006) and impaired kidney function (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.16–9.81; P=0.031) were independent factors associated with the presence of CMBs.
• A high CAVI was independently associated with CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke.