ABSTRACT
ObjectiveToinvestigatethecharacteristicsofsinglelacunarinfarct(SLI)andipsilateral multiple lacunar infarction (MLI), and the differences of risk factors and and pathologies betw een them. Methods The clinical data of al patients w ith cerebral infarction in acute internal carotid artery territory from August 1, 2008 to December 13, 2014 w ere analyzed retrospectively. Lacunar infarctions w ere screened according to the clinical manifestations and imaging findings. The patients w ere divided into a SLI, a unilateral MLI in the same blood supply area (MLI 1) and a unilateral MLI in the different blood supply area (MLI 2) group according to the number and location of the lesions show ed on diffusion w eighted imaging. Multivariate logistic regression analysis w as used to identify potential independent risk factors. Results The incidences of ipsilateral carotid plaque (73.33%vs.48.67%; χ2 =5.801, P=0.016), ipsilateral unstable carotid plaque ( 70.0%vs.42.5%; χ2 =7.192, P= 0.007 ), and ipsilateral carotid stenosis ≥50%(16.67%vs.1.77%; χ2 =8.327, P=0.004) of the MLI 1 group w ere significantly higher than those of the SLI group; the incidence of atrial fibril ation of the MLI 2 group w as significantly higher than that of the SLI group (40.0%vs.0.88%; χ2=15.887, P<0.001); there w ere no significant differences in the remaining risk factors among each group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that atrial fibrilation (odds ratio [OR] 14.452, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.558-134.011; P=0.019) and ipsilateral carotid stenosis ≥50% (OR 11.483, 95%CI 2.202-59.891; P=0.011) w ere the independent risk factors for MLI. Conclusions MLI may have different risk factors and pathogeneses w ith SLI. Atherosclerotic lesions and embolism are the important pathogeneses of MLI, w hile SLI is not.