Relationship between intracranial arterial remodeling and imaging markers in patients with cerebral small vessel disease / 中华神经科杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between intracranial arterial remodeling and imaging markers in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).Methods:One hundred and fifty-six patients with CSVD who were admitted to the Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University or the Public People′s Hospital of Xinzheng from January 2020 to May 2022 were selected, and their brain artery remodeling (BAR) score was calculated. The patients with BAR score≤-1 standard deviation (SD) were defined as individuals with constrictive remodeling of intracranial arteries, and the patients with BAR score≥1 SD were defined as individuals with dilated remodeling of intracranial arteries. Imaging markers of CSVD [white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), lacune, cerebral microbleeds, enlarged perivascular spaces, and cerebral atrophy] were quantified, total CSVD load was calculated and patients were divided into low load group (0-2 points, n=91) and high load group (3-4 points, n=65) according to the total CSVD load scores. The correlation between intracranial artery remodeling and various imaging markers of CSVD and total load was analyzed by using univariate analysis and binary Logistic regression analysis. A nomogram prediction model was established and a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to assess the predictive value of intracranial artery remodeling on high total CSVD load. Results:Dilated intracranial arterial remodeling was an independent influence factor on severe WMHs ( OR=3.66, 95% CI 1.38-9.72, P=0.009), lacune ( OR=3.78, 95% CI 1.17-12.19, P=0.026), cerebral atrophy ( OR=3.11, 95% CI=1.10-8.81, P=0.033), and high total CSVD load ( OR=6.66, 95% CI=2.14-20.77, P=0.001). Age was an independent influencing factor for high total CSVD load ( OR=1.12, 95% CI 1.07-1.16, P<0.01). A nomogram prediction model for high total CSVD load with age and BAR score≥1 SD as dependent variables had a good effect (C-index=0.826) and calibration ( P=0.024). The best cut-off point of ROC curve was 0.50, with an area under the curve of 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.89, P<0.01), the sensitivity and specificity of 0.72 and 0.82. Conclusions:Patients with dilated intracranial arterial remodeling may have a heavier CSVD load. Dilated intracranial arterial remodeling may serve as a new biomarker for assessing CSVD, but the mechanism of the association needs further study.

Study on correlation between anterior circulation artery stenosis and lacune or lacunar infarction in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To analyze the correlation between anterior circulation artery stenosis and lacune or lacunar infarct(LI) in elderly patients.Methods A retrospective analysis of data was performed in 111 patients with intracranial artery atherosclerosis,ischemic cerebral infarction or transient ischemic attack from January to December 2016 in our hospital.All the patients underwent non-contrast brain MRI or CT scan,as well as one-stop dynamic whole brain 4D CT angiography and CT perfusion scan(CTA-CTP/ perfusion).Imaging data were retrospectively analyzed.Intracranial 4D CTA was produced by using MIP and CPR post processing.The correlation of intracranial internal carotid artery(ICA)and middle cerebral artery (MCA)stenosis with lacunar infarct or lacune was analyzed by chi-square test using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 software.Results The average age of 111 patients was(68.4± 6.8)years.A total of 19 phases with 6080 images were obtained by one-stop scanning.The optimal phase of artery visualization was selected from 19 phases for evaluating artery stenosis.Intracranial ICA and/or MCA stenosis were revealed in 94 patients,including 73(65.8％)patients with LI or lacune and 21 patients(18.9％)without LI or lacune.17 patients without intracranial ICA or anterior circulation of MCA stenosis included 7 patients(6.3 ％)with LI or lacune and 10 patients(9.0％)without LI or lacune.Anterior circulation vessels stenosis was positively correlated with lacunar infarction or lacune(x2 =7.794,P=0.005).94 patients with anterior circulation vessels stenosis were further divided into 2 subgroups:unilateral and bilateral stenosis.39 cases showed unilateral vessels stenosis,including 25 cases (26.6 ％) with LI or lacunein,and 14 cases (14.9 ％) without LI or lacunein.And 55 cases showed bilateral vessel stenosis,including 48 cases (51.1％)with LI or lacune,and 7 case (7.4 ％) without LI or lacune.The risk for LI or lacunein was statistically higher in bilateral vessel stenosis than in unilateral vessel stenosis(x2 =7.061,P=0.008).Patients with anterior circulation vessels stenosis combined with LI or lacune were 73 cases,including 31 cases of grade Ⅰ,19 cases of grade Ⅱ,14 cases of grade Ⅲ,and 9 cases of grade Ⅳaccording to Trial criteria(NASCET)classification,with no significant difference between the different grades of anterior circulation vessels stenosis.Conclusions A correlation between ICA or MCA stenosis and lacunar infarction or lacune may exist.Risk for lacunar infarction or lacune is higher in patients with bilateral artery stenosis than in patients with unilateral artery stenosis.

Correlation between MR lacune of presumed vascular origin and microalbuminuria and in elderly patients / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the correlation of lacune of presumed vascular origin and microalbu-minuria in elderly inpatients. Methods 237 elderly patients (184 males and 53 females) at Guangzhou First People's Hospitalwho aged from 70 to 94 years old with a median age of 83.92 ± 5.32 were included in this study. We collected data on age,gender,medical history,smoking history,renal function test,blood lipid test,C-reactive protein,microalbuminuria,cerebral MR. Logistic regression was conducted to analyze all the data. Based on the MR findings ,the patients were divided into two groups:a group with lacune of presumed vascular origin (132 patients)and a control group(105 patients). Results The group with lacune of presumed vascular origin had higher mean systolic blood pressure than the control group. Median MAU was higher in the groupwith lacune of presumed vascular origin.Single factor or multiple factors logistic regression showed that increased systolic blood pressure and positive rates of MAU and MAU were independent risk factors for lacune of presumed vascular origin and were also significantly associated with the severity of lacune of presumed vascular origin. Conclusion Microalbuminuria is significantly associated with lacune of presumed vascular origin in elderly patients.

Analysis of SPECT in Two Sub-types of Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia

BACKGROUND: The brain imaging criteria for subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD), as proposed by Eurkinjuntti, incorporates the two familiar entities, "the lacunar state" and "Binswanger's disease". However, it has not been proven whether these two subtypes of SIVD have common pathophysiological features. This study investigated the changes of the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the two subsets of SIVD. METHODS: 12 SIVD patients with predominant white matter lesions, 13 patients with predominant multiple lacunar infarctions and 17 controls were evaluated. The general cognitive function and the severity of dementia were measured by using the K-MMSE and the clinical dementia rating scale. The patients simultaneously met both the NINDS-AIREN criteria for probable or possible vascular dementia (VaD) and the Eurkinjuntti's brain imaging criteria for SIVD. 99mTc-ethyl cysteinate dimmer (ECD)-SPECT was performed to measure the rCBF, and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was applied to the objective analysis of the SPECT data. RESULTS: SPM analysis of the SPECT images revealed that decreased rCBF in the bilateral thalami, anterior cingulated gyri, superior temporal gyri, caudate heads and left parahippocampal gyrus was significant in the patients with SVaD compared to the controls (uncorrected P=0.001). This pattern of rCBF reduction was the same in both the SIVD patients with predominant white matter lesions and with predominant lacunar infarctions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the two subsets of SIVD proposed by Eurkinjuntti may have a common functional abnormality, and the Eurkinjuntti's criteria offers a solution for researchers to identify the more homogeneous group of VaD patients.

The Clinical Properties of Deep Small Basal Ganglia Infarctions: Lacune or Small Striatocapsular Infarction?

BACKGROUND: Small subcortical infarctions of basal ganglia can be divided into either lacunes or striatocapsular infarctions by size of lesion. However, there are some controversies concerning the size criteria of lacune and striatocapsular infarction. To better understand differences among these patients, we elucidated clinical and other properties of deep small basal ganglia infarctions (DSBIs), which could not be clearly classified as either lacunes or striatocapsular infarction by their sizes only. METHODS: We analyzed 27 patients with acute ischemic lesion of basal ganglia with which the size varying from 1.5 cm to 3 cm in their maximal diameters. We assessed clinical features, laboratory data, stroke risk factors, and radiologic findings such as MRI and MR angiography. RESULTS: These patients could be largely divided into two distinct groups, either with or without associated cortical symptoms and signs. The most common clinical feature was motor weakness that was found in all but one patient. Sensory disturbances, altered deep tendon reflexes, and positive Babinski signs were also commonly found. Ten of the 27 patients showed cortical manifestations such as eyeball deviation, visual field defect, aphasia and neglect. Eight of the 10 patients with cortical manifestations showed MCA or ICA stenotic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: We found that many patients with 1.5 cm to 3 cm sized DSBIs could have the features of either lacune or striatocapsular infarction. Careful evaluation of clinical and radiologic findings should be performed in patients with clinically appearing lacunar syndrome in order to differentiate lacunar infarction of small vessel disease from striatocapsular infarction of other various pathophysiologies. Echocardiogram, cerebral angiogram and perfusion and diffusion MRI could be recommended for further evaluation and to better understand the pathogenesis in these patients.

Clincal, MRI and MRA Findings of Cheiro-Oral-Pedal syndrome

BACKGROUND: Cheiro-oral-pedal syndrome is characterized by a unilateral or bilateral sensory disturbance in mouth corner and hand and/or foot, and associated with central nervous system disease. Causative diseases are cerebral infarction, intracranial hemorrhage, brain tumor, migraine, etc. When related with cerebral infarction, it is known to have lacunar type pathology and favorable prognosis. But other pathogenic mechanism and poor prognosis is suggested. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 12 patients presented with cheiro-oral-pedal syndrome, who visited the department of neurology in Chosun University Hospital from September 2000 to August 2002. Cheiro-oral-pedal syndrome was diagnosed according to the clinical manifestations and brain MRI findings. We assessed neurological findings, brain MRI and MRA findings, duplex sonographic findings, risk factors of stroke and outcome of the patients. Followup period was 3-20 (mean 8) months. RESULTS: There were 12 patients (10 men, 2 women) with the age ranged from 45 to 80 (mean 57.8) years. Sensory loss on cheiro-oral area was present in 8 (66.7%) and on cheiro-oral-pedal area in 4 (33.3%). Responsible lesions were found in thalamus, capsulo-striatum, corona radiata, pons, and fronto-parietal cortex. Three patients had a major cerebral vascular abnormality on MRA. One had MCA stenosis, the other PCA stenosis and another distal ICA stenosis. Sensory symptoms had remained in all patient except one. In-hospital mortality and other neurological deficit at discharge were absent in all. CONCLUSIONS: Cheiro-oral syndrome has mixed pathogenic mechanism of small vessel disease and large vessel atherosclerosis and involves various sites. Paresthesia itself has bad prognosis but overall clinical course is benign.

Correlation between Clinicoradiological Findings and Prognosis in Paramedian Pontine Infarction

BACKGROUND: To clarify the clinicoradiological correlation and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke involving para-median territory of pons. METHODS: We studied 37 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke involving paramedian terri-tory of pons and divided them based on the shape and level of lesion shown in their MRI. The clinical features, MRI findings, and prognosis were assessed. RESULTS: The paramedian infarctions extending to the basal surface were found in 28 patients (76%), and small infarctions separated from the basal surface were found in 9 patients (24%). In patients with infarction extending to the basal surface, 23 patients (82%) had progressive or fluctuating onset, whereas all patients with small infarction separated from the basal surface had non-progressive onset. In the group with upper pon-tine lesion (14 patients), dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome was found in 4 patients, ataxic hemiparesis (AH) in 3, pure motor hemiparesis (PMH) in 2, and pure sensory stroke in 1. In the group with middle and lower pontine lesion (22 patients), PMH was found in 9, AH in 3, and sensory motor stroke in 2. The mean Modified Rankin Disability Scale scores on admission and after follow-up (mean 29 months) of the group with upper pontine lesion were 2.36 +/-0.50 and 1 . 0 0 +/-0.55, those with mid-lower pontine lesions, 3.48 +/-0.51 and 1.17 +/-0.49 (P0.05 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Paramedian pontine infarction extending to the basal surface usually presents with progressive onset. Paramedian pontine infarction most often produces classic lacune syndrome of which PMH is the most common. In our study, patients with mid-lower paramedian pontine infarction had more severe initial neurological deficits than those with upper paramedian pontine infarction. However, a late outcome was found to be favorable in both groups.

Incomplete AICA Syndrome Presented with Peripheral Facial Palsy; A Variant of Gasperini Syndrome

Acute infarcts of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) territory are unusual. Furthermore incomplete AICA infarcts are perplexing because of its variations of vascular anatomy and inconsistent clinical features. We present a case with clinical features of AICA infarction, which consist of ipsilateral peripheral-type facial palsy, vertigo, and contralateral facial and upper limb sensory changes without motor weakness. The patient had hypertension and was a current smoker. The high signal intensity on inferior pontine tegmental area was found on MRI and the R2 interneuronal dysfunction was note on Blink reflex. The angiographic findings didn't show any focal vascular lesions, which is contrary to the pathogenesis of AICA infarction published previously. On the clinical ground, the present case reserves to attention in that patients with peripheral-type facial palsy should be properly evaluated and with thorough neurological examination and we could differentiate between the incomplete AICA infarcts such as Gasperini syndrome and Bell's palsy.

Recurrent alternating stroke

Recurrent alternating stroke, i.e., one time ischemic and the other hemorrhagic or vice versa, is an uncommon event. We report a series of eight patients who had recurrent alternating strokes, which were diagnosed by CT scans during the last four years. Infarcts preceded hemorrhage in six patients. In the remaining two patients, hemorrhage developed first and infarct followed. All ischemic strokes were the lacunar infarcts. The lesions of the two attacks were located in different sites in all cases except one. The mean age of the patients was 56.6 years at the time of the first attack and 57.5 years at the time of the second. The mean interval between attacks was 11.8 months. All patients were hypertensive on admission. After the first attack, the outcome was favorable in all patients. However, after the second attack the outcome deteriorated to moderate disability in three, severe disability in one and death in four. We discuss some possible reasons for the rarity of recurrent alternating stroke.