NEUROIMAGING CHARACTERISTICS AND POST-STROKE FATIGUE WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKES

Aim - identify neuroimaging characteristics associated with different post-stroke fatigue (PSF) domains within first 6 months after ischemic strokes. There were enrolled in the study 107 patients with acute ischemic strokes. General PSF and certain PSF domains (global, physical, mental, motivational, activity-related) were measured by multidimensional fatigue inventory-20 (MFI-20) scale at hospital stay, in 1, 3 and 6 months after stroke occurrence. Brain MRI studies included cerebral infarct localization, planimetric measurements of infarct volumes, measurement of brain atrophy indexes (bifrontal, bicaudate, cortical atrophy indexes, width of third ventricle) and evaluation of leukoaraiosis severity, according to Fazekas scale. In univariate logistic regression analysis infarcts volumes as well as brain atrophy indexes were not significantly associated with risk of any PSF domain at any time points within first 6 months after ischemic strokes. On the other hand, it had been found reliable associations between subcortical infarcts and increased risk of PSF domains which are related just to physical activity (physical PSF, activity-related PSF) in 1 month after stroke onset and later, as well as reliable associations between infratentorial infarcts and risk of global PSF domain in 3 months after stroke and later. Moreover, it have been revealed significant direct associations between severity of white matter lesions and risk of mental PSF in 3 months after stroke onset and later. Subcortical infarcts may be risk factors for development of physical PSF domain, infratentorial infarcts - risk factors for development of global PSF domain, leukoaraiosis extension - risk factor for development of mental PSF domain but not early than 1 month after stroke occurrence.