Stroke · Jun 9, 2016

Differential Effect of White-Matter Lesions and Covert Brain Infarcts on the Risk of Ischemic Stroke and Intracerebral Hemorrhage

By Kaffashian S, Tzourio C, Zhu YC et al.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We examined the association of white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and covert brain infarcts, which are the 2 major magnetic resonance imaging markers of covert cerebrovascular disease in older adults, with long-term risk of ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the general population. METHODS: Participants were 1731 individuals aged ≥65 years from the Three-City Dijon study. We studied the association of WMH volume and brain infarct, with incident ischemic stroke overall, and by subtype, and with incident ICH. RESULTS: High total, periventricular, and deep WMHs were associated with incident ICH. Extensive periventricular WMH volume was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-3.35), particularly cardioembolic stroke. Covert brain infarcts were associated with incident ICH but not with incident ischemic stroke or its subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Although of ischemic nature, both WMH volume and covert brain infarcts portend a major risk of ICH. If confirmed in independent studies, these findings could have important implications for the clinical management of covert vascular brain lesions.

doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.116.012734PubMed 27283199Biomarkers