This Article Full Text Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Adachi, T. Articles by Inafuku, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Adachi, T. Articles by Inafuku, T.

(Stroke. 1997;28:2174-2179.)
© 1997 American Heart Association, Inc.

Articles

Effect of Extracranial Carotid Artery Stenosis and Other Risk Factors for Stroke on Periventricular Hyperintensity

Tomohide Adachi, MD; Makoto Takagi, MD; Haruhiko Hoshino, MD; Tetsuya Inafuku, MD

From the Third Division of Internal Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo (T.A.), and Department of Neurology, Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital (M.T., H.H., T.I.) (Japan).

Background and Purpose The pathogenesis of periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) is still uncertain. We investigated the relationship between PVH and risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases, especially extracranial carotid artery stenosis (ECAS).

Methods We studied PVH and ECAS in 323 subjects between 1991 and 1994. Using 1.5-T MRI scan images, we measured PVH quantitatively at eight points and evaluated cerebral infarction. Duplex carotid sonography was performed on the carotid arteries bilaterally and used to divide the severity of ECAS into five grades. Risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases and atherosclerotic complications were assessed from the clinical history.

Results Age was significantly correlated with the size of frontal and whole PVH (P<.01). Frontal PVH was significantly more severe in subjects with hypertension (P<.05). Frontal, occipital, and whole PVH were significantly more severe in subjects with a history of cerebrovascular accident (P<.01). Other risk factors and atherosclerotic complications were not correlated with PVH. There were no significant differences in the severity of PVH among the five groups of ECAS. The severity of PVH in each region was not related to ECAS. There was no significant difference in the age of patients in relation to the five grades of ECAS. However, PVH was significantly more severe in subjects with lacunar infarction or infarction of the deep border zone (P<.05). There was no relationship between PVH and cortical infarction or infarction of the cortical border zone.

Conclusions PVH correlated with age, hypertension, and past history of cerebrovascular disease but not with ECAS. PVH was significantly more severe in lacunar infarction and infarction of the deep border zone. These results suggest that small-vessel disease may underlie the pathogenesis and development of PVH.

Key Words: carotid stenosis • small-vessel disease • leukoaraiosis • white matter

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Mantyla, H. J. Aronen, O. Salonen, T. Pohjasvaara, M. Korpelainen, T. Peltonen, C.-G. Standertskjold-Nordenstam, M. Kaste, and T. Erkinjuntti Magnetic Resonance Imaging White Matter Hyperintensities and Mechanism of Ischemic Stroke Stroke, October 1, 1999; 30(10): 2053 - 2058. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]