Sensorimotor stroke; clinical features, MRI findings, and cardiac and vascular concomitants in 32 patients

Sensorimotor stroke (SMS) is often included among the lacunar syndromes, although the underlying cause of this stroke-subtype is less well documented. To this end we analysed 32 patients presenting with a sensorimotor syndrome.

The study protocol included vascular risk factors, echocardiography, Doppler sonography of carotid arteries, CT scan and MRI of the brain.

There were 23 men and 9 women, mean age 65.7 years. Hypertension was present in 28% and diabetes in 19%. In all, 63% had sensorimotor deficit of faciobrachiocrural areas and 37% had faciobrachial or brachiocrural deficits. MRI disclosed a presumably relevant infarct in 26 patients (81%); 20 patients (62%) localized to the territory of small perforating arteries, 3 patients (9.5%) in the internal borderzone, and 3 patients (9.5%) in cortical territories. Eight of 20 deep infarcts were larger than 15 mm. No hemorrhage or non-vascular lesion was found. A potential cardioembolic source was present in 5 patients (16%), whereas 2 patients (6%) had an ipsilateral carotid stenosis >50%.

Small vessel disease was the most likely cause in 69% of our patients with SMS, whereas 31% had a potential cardioembolic source, large artery disease or infarcts not compatible with perforating artery disease.