ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the risk factors for leukoaraiosis (LA). Methods The clinical and imaging data in patients with stroke were collected retrospectively. LA was divided into periventricular LA and subcortical LA according to the findings of MRI, and they were scored and classified. Results A total of 113 patients with stroke were included. There were 39 women and 74 men (mean age 61.33 ± 1.32 years). The age (65.52 ± 12. 56 vs.47. 96 ±9. 23 years, t =5. 634, P =0. 000), hypertension (68. 60% vs. 29. 63% ,x2 = 12. 932,P =0. 000), diabetes (30. 23% vs. 3.70%, x2 = 7. 953, P = 0. 005), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (147. 42 ± 2. 78 mm Hg vs. 134. 00 ± 22. 45 mm Hg,t = 2. 862, P = 0. 004), glucose (6. 54 ± 3. 48 mmol/L vs. 5. 35 ± 1.37 mmol/L, t = 2. 808, P = 0. 005), and total cholesterol (TC) level (5. 17±0.89 mmol/L vs. 4.59±0.61 mmol/L, t=3. 152, P=0. 002) in patients with periventricular LA (n = 86) were significantly higher than those without periventricular LA (n =27). The age (66. 44 ± 11.33 vs. 47. 96 ±9. 23 years, t =4. 768, P =0. 000), hypertension (74. 29% vs. 34. 88%, x2 = 17. 134, P = 0. 000), SBP (85.46 ± 9. 80 mm Hg vs. 69. 81 ±8. 74 mm Hg, t =2. 999, P=0. 003), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (85.46 ±9. 80 mm Hg vs.69. 81 ±8.74 mm Hg, t =2. 999, P =0. 003), and TC level (5.22±0.99 mmol/L vs. 4.91 ±0. 75 mmol/L, t =3. 330, P =0. 001) in patients with subcortical LA (n =70) were significantly higher than those without subcortical LA (n =43). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the periventricular LA classification was significantly correlated with the age (rs = 0. 606, P =0. 000), drinking (rs = -0. 257, P = 0. 006), hypertension (rs = 0. 428, P = 0. 000), diabetes (rs =0. 236, P =0. 012), SBP (rs =0. 382, P =0. 000), and DBP (rs =0. 258, P =0. 006). The subcortical LA classification was significantly correlated with the age (rs = 0.488, P = 0. 000),hypertension (rs = 0. 416, P = 0. 000), SBP (rs = 0. 386, P = 0. 000), DBP (rs = 0. 326, P =0. 006), and TC level (rs =0. 231, P =0. 014). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age (odds ratio[OR] = 1.071, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.009-1. 137; P=O. 024), hypertension (OR =4. 106, 95% CI 1. 657-10. 174; P =0. 002), and SBP (OR =1. 049,95% CI 1. 162-7. 013; P = 0. 022) were independently correlated with LA. Conclusions The age, hypertension, and SBP are the independent risk factors for LA, in which the age is an uncontrollable factor, and the aggressive prevention and treatment of hypertension may reduce the occurrence of LA.