Hypertension Is Associated with White Matter Disruption in Apparently Healthy Middle-Aged Individuals.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Traditional cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with white matter disease. Because hypertension results in vascular stiffness and impaired cerebral perfusion, we hypothesized that it would be the most relevant risk factor for microstructural white matter disruption in apparently healthy middle-aged individuals with a family history of early-onset coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis of participants in the Genetic Study of Atherosclerosis Risk with DTI. Regional fractional anisotropy of 181 segmented brain regions was measured using Eve WM Atlas. Risk factors were examined using univariate analysis for 48 regions representing deep WM structures. Minimal multivariable linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, and race and maximal linear regression models adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors were performed for regions meeting the Bonferroni threshold in the initial analysis. RESULTS: Included were 116 subjects (mean age, 49 ± 11 years; 57% men) with a moderate load of cardiovascular risk factors. Subjects with hypertension had significantly lower regional fractional anisotropy in the right cingulum and left stria terminalis in the minimal and maximal regression models. Additionally, there was lower regional fractional anisotropy in the left fornix in the maximal model and right sagittal stratum in the minimal model. Systolic blood pressure values were significantly associated with regional fractional anisotropy in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus in the maximal model. There were no significant differences among regional fractional anisotropy values for other cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged apparently healthy individuals with susceptibility to vascular disease, among all known cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension was associated with microstructural WM disruption.

Seizures in patients with multiple sclerosis seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn, 1990-1998.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate seizure type, electroencephalographic findings, and response to antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and coexistent seizure activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all patients seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, with the diagnosis of MS and seizures between 1990 and 1998. RESULTS: During the study period, 5715 patients with MS were identified. Of these 5715 patients, 51 (0.89%) experienced seizure activity. The most common ictal behavior was a generalized tonic-clonic seizure in 35 patients (68.6%). Simple or complex partial seizures occurred in 11 patients (21.6%), and 18 patients (35.3%) had only 1 seizure episode. Focal motor status epilepticus, ie, epilepsia partialis continua, occurred in 3 patients (5.9%) and was associated with cognitive impairment. In 37 patients (72.5%), the initial seizure presentation was after the diagnosis of MS. A seizure resulted in the diagnosis of MS or occurred before the diagnosis of MS but after other symptoms or signs of demyelinating disease in 14 patients (27.4%). Electroencephalography was performed in 43 patients. Electroencephalographic findings included diffuse or localized nonspecific background slowing in 19 patients (44.2%), unilateral or bilateral frontotemporal spike discharges in 9 (20.9%), generalized atypical spike-and-wave or multifocal independent epileptiform alterations in 6 (14.0%), and normal results in 11 (25.6%). Of the 45 patients who received AED therapy, 35 (77.8%) had an excellent response, ie, they were seizure free. Five treated patients (11.1%) had an intractable seizure disorder. CONCLUSION: Most of the patients with MS who experienced seizure activity had a benign and transient disorder that was responsive to AED treatment or required no therapy.

Circadian and seasonal occurrence of subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the time of onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with a time of day or season of year. BACKGROUND: Prior studies have suggested that there may be a circadian and seasonal pattern of ischemic stroke occurrence, but this is less certain for hemorrhagic stroke. Population-based data have been unavailable. METHODS: All incident ICH and SAH among residents of Rochester, MN, were ascertained. The medical records of patients were reviewed to determine the time of onset and date of occurrence. The day was divided into 8-hour periods, and the year into seasonal quartiles. Each patient was assigned a period based on the time of onset of symptoms. The data were analyzed by chi(2) analysis to determine whether there was a trend toward increased occurrence based on time period or seasonal quartile of onset. RESULTS: From 1960 to 1989, there were 155 cases (48 men, 107 women) of incident SAH. From 1975 to 1989, there were 137 cases (57 men, 80 women) of incident ICH. There was a significant increase in the time of onset for ICH and SAH in the 8 AM to 4 PM period (p = 0.005 and p = 0.03, respectively). The concomitant occurrence of hypertension, gender, and age did not affect the time of day of occurrence. In the analysis of seasonal variation, there was a significant increase in events during December, January, and February in the combined SAH and ICH group (p = 0.032) and a trend for SAH alone (p = 0.07) but not for ICH (p = 0.34). Hypertension and age had no impact on the association between season and the occurrence of SAH and ICH. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of SAH and ICH is increased from 8 AM to 4 PM. The occurrence of hemorrhage is increased during the winter months, but this is likely limited only to SAH.