Lacunes are associated with late-stage multiple sclerosis comorbidities

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Vascular Neurology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to vascular events and mortality, but its association with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is unclear.
• Lacunes are a type of lesion indicative of CSVD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between MS and the presence of lacunes.
• To identify risk factors for lacune development in MS patients.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study included 112 participants (46 with MS, 66 with CSVD).
• MRI (T2-weighted, T1-weighted, FLAIR) and neurological assessments were performed.
• Lacunes and black holes were identified via image analysis.

Main Results:

• Lacunes were present in 19.6% of MS patients.
• MS duration was the sole significant risk factor for lacunes (OR=1.3, CI=1.1-1.6, p=0.008).
• MS patients with lacunes had more attacks and larger T2 lesion volumes.
• Lacune lesions showed limited ability to differentiate MS from CSVD after 6 years of disease duration.

Conclusions:

• Disease duration is a key factor in lacune development in MS.
• Lacunes may indicate underlying small arterial disease in MS patients.
• Further research is needed to clarify the MS-CSVD relationship.