Cross-Sectional Association Between Left Ventricular Geometric Patterns, Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts, and...

Left ventricular (LV) geometric patterns are associated with cognitive impairment and cerebral small vessel disease. As a novel magnetic resonance imaging marker of cerebral small vessel disease and a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction, cortical cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) have been associated with heart disease through mechanisms including cardioembolism and cerebral hypoperfusion. Further investigation is required to determine whether cortical CMIs could arise from hemodynamic changes related to LV geometry, thus elucidating the connection between LV geometry and cognitive function. This study aims to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between LV geometric patterns, cortical CMIs, and cognition.

A total of 261 patients, aged 75.3±6.8 years, were enrolled from a memory clinic study. LV dimensions were obtained using 2-dimensional echocardiography. LV mass index and relative wall thickness were determined to categorize LV geometric patterns. Cortical CMIs were graded on 3T magnetic resonance imaging. Cognition was assessed using neuropsychological tests and clinical diagnosis. Linear, zero-inflated Poisson, and logistic regression were employed for continuous, count, and binary outcomes, respectively. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediation effect of cortical CMIs. A significant association was observed between concentric LV hypertrophy and cortical CMI counts (rate ratio, 3.85 [95% CI, 1.85-8.01]), as well as the odds of having dementia (odds ratio, 2.86 [95% CI, 1.07-7.89]), in the fully adjusted model. Cortical CMIs may partly explain the relationship between concentric LV hypertrophy and cognitive function.

Concentric LV hypertrophy was associated with cortical CMIs and dementia. Further verification is warranted to determine the role of cortical CMIs in the association between LV geometry and cognition.