Lab Med Online.  2012 Apr;2(2):95-100.

Relationship of White-Matter Lesions and Lacunar Infarcts with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

• Nah EH
• Cho HI

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of white-matter lesions are different from those of lacunar infarcts; however, both these conditions are related to cardiovascular risk factors. This study was performed to investigate the differences in the relationships of white-matter lesions and lacunar infarcts with cardiovascular risk factors and differences between the metabolic characteristics of patients with these conditions.
METHODS
We included 4,255 patients who showed neurological deficits during health checkups. These individuals were classified into the following 3 groups on the basis of MRI findings: normal, white-matter lesion, and lacunar infarct. The groups were compared for age; weights; prevalence of metabolic syndrome; and levels of blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and HbA1c.
RESULTS
Age, body mass index (BMI); waist circumference; levels of blood pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides and HbA1c; and prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components were the highest in lacunar infarct group, followed by white matter lesion group, and normal group. Age and diastolic blood pressure level were related to white matter lesions, and age, systolic blood pressure level, and blood glucose level were related to lacunar infarcts. Further, the prevalence of the above-mentioned lesions increased with increase of the number of the components of metabolic syndrome.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that lacunar infarct is more advanced lesion than white matter lesion. Among all the cardiovascular risk factors, high blood pressure and impaired fasting blood glucose levels were significantly related to white-matter lesions and lacunar infarct.

Keyword

White matter lesion; Lacunar infarct; Cardiovascular risk factors; Metabolic syndrome

MeSH Terms

Blood Glucose
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
C-Reactive Protein
Fasting
Humans
Hypertension
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Stroke, Lacunar
Triglycerides
Blood Glucose
C-Reactive Protein
Triglycerides

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Prevalence of white-matter lesions and lacunar infarct according to the number of the components of metabolic syndrome. P<0.01 derived from χ2 tests used to comparison the prevalence of white-matter lesion and lacunar infarct with reference to the number of components of the metabolic syndrome. Abbreviations: WML, white-matter lesion; LI, lacunar infarct.

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