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Leukoaraiosis in stroke patients.
Ozlem Coşkun1, Hülya Yildiz, Ufuk Emre
1The Ministry of Health Ankara Hospital, Department of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey. oecoskun@hotmail.com
The International Journal of Neuroscience
|July 26, 2003
Summary
Leukoaraiosis (LA) is linked to hypertension in stroke patients, but not significantly associated with age, diabetes, or cardiac conditions. This finding clarifies the role of hypertension in leukoaraiosis development.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Cardiovascular Science
Background:
- The pathogenesis and clinical significance of leukoaraiosis (LA) in stroke patients are not fully understood.
- Leukoaraiosis, a common finding on brain imaging, may be associated with various vascular risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between leukoaraiosis and common risk factors in a patient population undergoing brain computed tomography (CT).
- To determine if hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, or cardiac disease are associated with the presence of leukoaraiosis.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 288 brain CT scans performed at Ankara Hospital's Neurology Department.
- Leukoaraiosis was identified in 178 patients.
- Statistical comparison of demographic and clinical data between patients with and without leukoaraiosis.
Main Results:
- Patients with leukoaraiosis showed a significantly higher incidence of hypertension history (70.8%) compared to those without LA (57.3%; p <.05).
- No statistically significant differences were observed regarding sex, mean age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, history of cerebrovascular disease, cardiac failure, or ischemic cardiac disease.
Conclusions:
- Leukoaraiosis is associated with a history of hypertension in this patient cohort.
- Leukoaraiosis was not found to be related to age, diabetes mellitus, or cardiac disease in this study population.