Dataset Information

Retinal microvascular abnormalities and subclinical magnetic resonance imaging brain infarct: a prospective study.

ABSTRACT: Silent brain infarct and white matter lesions are common radiological findings associated with the risk of clinical stroke and dementia; however, our understanding of their underlying pathophysiology and risk factors remains limited. This study aimed to determine whether assessment of retinal microvascular abnormalities could provide prognostic information regarding the risk of brain infarct and white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. This study is based on a subset of 810 middle-aged persons without clinical stroke or baseline magnetic resonance imaging infarct enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, a prospective, population-based study. Participants had a baseline magnetic resonance imaging brain examination and retinal photography in 1993-1995, and returned for a repeat magnetic resonance imaging examination in 2004-2006. Magnetic resonance images were graded for presence of any cerebral infarct, infarct with lacunar characteristics and white matter lesions according to standardized protocols. Retinal photographs were graded for presence of retinopathy lesions and retinal arteriolar abnormalities following a standardized protocol. Over a median follow-up of 10.5 years, 164 (20.2%) participants developed cerebral infarct, 131 (16.2%) developed lacunar infarct, 182 (24.2%) developed new white matter lesions and 49 (6.1%) had evidence of white matter lesion progression. After adjusting for age, gender, race, cardiovascular risk factors and carotid intima-media thickness, retinopathy was associated with incident cerebral infarct (odds ratio 2.82; 95% confidence interval 1.42-5.60) and lacunar infarct (odds ratio 3.19; 95% confidence interval: 1.56-6.50). Retinal arteriovenous nicking was associated with incident cerebral infarct (odds ratio 2.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.66-4.76), lacunar infarct (odds ratio 2.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.39-4.40) and white matter lesion incidence (odds ratio 2.12; 95% confidence interval: 1.18-3.81) and progression (odds ratio 2.22; 95% confidence interval: 1.00-5.88). In conclusion, retinal microvascular abnormalities are associated with emergence of subclinical magnetic resonance imaging brain infarcts and white matter lesions, independent of shared risk factors. Retinal vascular imaging may offer a non-invasive tool to investigate the pathogenesis and natural history of cerebral small-vessel disease.

SUBMITTER: Cheung N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2912690 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Retinal microvascular abnormalities and subclinical magnetic resonance imaging brain infarct: a prospective study.

Cheung Ning N Mosley Thomas T Islam Amirul A Kawasaki Ryo R Sharrett A Richey AR Klein Ronald R Coker Laura H LH Knopman David S DS Shibata Dean K DK Catellier Diane D Wong Tien Y TY

Brain : a journal of neurology 20100602 Pt 7

Silent brain infarct and white matter lesions are common radiological findings associated with the risk of clinical stroke and dementia; however, our understanding of their underlying pathophysiology and risk factors remains limited. This study aimed to determine whether assessment of retinal microvascular abnormalities could provide prognostic information regarding the risk of brain infarct and white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. This study is based on a subset of 810 middle-age ...[more]

PMID: 20519327

Similar Datasets

Project description:IMPORTANCE:Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and incident stroke. Little is known about the association between vitamin D and subclinical cerebrovascular disease. OBJECTIVE:To examine the relationship of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels with cerebrovascular abnormalities as assessed on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Brain MRI study. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:Participants were white and black adults aged 55 to 72 years with no history of clinical stroke who underwent a cerebral MRI at ARIC visit 3 (n?=?1622) and a second cerebral MRI approximately 10 years later (n?=?888). EXPOSURES:The 25(OH)D level was measured by mass spectrometry at visit 3, with levels adjusted for calendar month and categorized using race-specific quartiles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:The cross-sectional and prospective associations of 25(OH)D levels with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and MRI-defined infarcts were investigated using multivariable regression models. RESULTS:The mean age of the participants was 62 years, 59.6% were women, and 48.6% were black. Lower 25(OH)D levels were not significantly associated with WMH score of severity, prevalent high-grade WMH score (?3), or prevalent infarcts in cross-sectional, multivariable-adjusted models (all P?>?.05). Similarly, no significant prospective associations were found for lower 25(OH)D levels with change in WMH volume, incident high WMH score (?3), or incident infarcts on the follow-up MRI, which occurred approximately 10 years later. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:A single measure of 25(OH)D was not cross-sectionally associated with WMH grade or prevalent subclinical infarcts and was not prospectively associated with WMH progression or subclinical brain infarcts seen on serial cerebral MRIs obtained approximately 10 years apart. These findings do not support optimizing vitamin D levels for brain health.

Dataset Information

Retinal microvascular abnormalities and subclinical magnetic resonance imaging brain infarct: a prospective study.

Publications

Retinal microvascular abnormalities and subclinical magnetic resonance imaging brain infarct: a prospective study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets