[Prevalence and risk factors for silent lacunar infarct in white matter lesion--brain multiphasic screening]

To clarify difference of significant risk factors and that of prevalence with increasing age between white matter lesion (WML) and silent lacunar infarction (SLI), 946 brain check-up subjects were investigated. Twelve risk factors including age, sex, and hypertension were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. A case of WML, which changed into infarction, was presented. Significant (P < 0.01) risk factors for WML were aging (odds ratio; 1.12/year) and hypertension (3.66), while those for SLI were aging (1.10/year), hypertension (4.89), and retinal arteriosclerosis (3.46). Both WML and SLI emerged in middle age and thereafter the prevalence rates increased with age, although WML emerged earlier and was more frequent throughout than SLI. The results indicated that WML was essentially aging phenomenon, while SLI was strongly affected by vascular risk factors, although WML might possibly chang into infarction.