Association of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden and Health-Related Quality of Life after Acute Ischemic Stroke

Associations of Cerebrovascular Regulation and Arterial Stiffness With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a major contributing factor to ischemic stroke and dementia. However, the vascular pathologies of cSVD remain inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to characterize the associations between cSVD and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), cerebral autoregulation, and arterial stiffness (AS).

METHODS AND RESULTS

MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from inception to September 2023 for studies reporting CVR, cerebral autoregulation, or AS in relation to radiological markers of cSVD. Data were extracted in predefined tables, reviewed, and meta-analyses performed using inverse-variance random effects models to determine pooled odds ratios (ORs). A total of 1611 studies were identified; 142 were included in the systematic review, of which 60 had data available for meta-analyses. Systematic review revealed that CVR, cerebral autoregulation, and AS were consistently associated with cSVD (80.4%, 78.6%, and 85.4% of studies, respectively). Meta-analysis in 7 studies (536 participants, 32.9% women) revealed a borderline association between impaired CVR and cSVD (OR, 2.26 [95% CI, 0.99-5.14]; P=0.05). In 37 studies (27 952 participants, 53.0% women) increased AS, per SD, was associated with cSVD (OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.15-1.33]; P<0.01). Meta-regression adjusted for comorbidities accounted for one-third of the AS model variance (R2=29.4%, Pmoderators=0.02). Subgroup analysis of AS studies demonstrated an association with white matter hyperintensities (OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.18-1.70]; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The collective findings of the present systematic review and meta-analyses suggest an association between cSVD and impaired CVR and elevated AS. However, longitudinal investigations into vascular stiffness and regulatory function as possible risk factors for cSVD remain warranted.

Brain Enlarged Perivascular Spaces as Imaging Biomarkers of Cerebrovascular Disease: A Clinical Narrative Review

Perivascular spaces or Virchow-Robin spaces form pathways along the subarachnoid spaces that facilitate the effective clearance of brain metabolic by-products through intracellular exchange and drainage of cerebrospinal fluid. Best seen on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVSs) are increasingly recognized as potential imaging biomarkers of neurological conditions. EPVSs are an established subtype of cerebral small-vessel disease; however, their associations with other cerebrovascular disorders are yet to be fully understood. In particular, there has been great interest in the association between the various parameters of EPVSs, such as number, size, and topography, and vascular neurological conditions. Studies have identified cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between EPVS parameters and vascular events, such as ischemic stroke (both clinical and silent), intracerebral hemorrhage, vascular risk factors, such as age and hypertension, and neurodegenerative processes, such as vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease. However, these studies are limited by heterogeneity of data and the lack of consistent results across studied populations. Existing meta-analyses also fail to provide uniformity of results. We performed a qualitative narrative review with an aim to provide an overview of the associations between EPVSs and cerebrovascular diseases, which may help recognize gaps in our knowledge, inform the design of future studies, and advance the role of EPVSs as imaging biomarkers.

Diagnosis and prognostic value of circDLGAP4 in acute ischemic stroke and its correlation with outcomes

Rationale and aims

Circular RNAs are a subclass of noncoding RNAs in mammalian cells and highly expressed in the central nervous system. Although their physiological functions are not yet completely defined, they are thought to promise as stroke biomarkers because of their stability in peripheral blood.

Sample Size Estimate: 222 participants.

Methods and design

The plasma of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) (n = 111) and non-stroke controls (n = 111) from November 2017 to February 2019 were enrolled in our research. The expression of circDLGAP4 in plasma was evaluated using real-time PCR.

Study outcomes

In patients with AIS, circDLGAP4 was significantly decreased in comparison with non-stroke controls. The CircDLGAP4 level had a significant AUC of 0.7896 with 91.72% sensitivity and 64.83% specificity in diagnosing AIS. Furthermore, the circDLGAP4 level was related to smoking history and previous transient ischemic attack/stroke/myocardial infarction in all samples. The change rate in circDLGAP4 within the first 7 days showed an AUC curve of 0.960 in predicting an stroke outcome.

Conclusion

circDLGAP4 could serve as biomarker for AIS diagnosis and prediction of stroke outcomes.

The cognitive dysfunction related to Alzheimer disease or cerebral small vessel disease: What's the differences

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer disease (AD) and sporadic cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) are common cognitive disorders. Both AD and CSVD have mental symptoms including chronic progressive cognitive impairment, dysfunction, and behavioral abnormalities. However, the differences on the cognitive dysfunction of AD and CSVD remain unclear. It is necessary to elucidate the cognitive dysfunction differences of AD and CSVD, and to identify the potential risk factors.AD or sporadic CSVD patients treated in our hospital from December 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019 were included. And we selected healthy participants as controls. The mini-mental state examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale were used for neuropsychological assessment, and related medical information were collected and compared.A total of 190 patients were included. The total mini-mental state examination scores in AD, CSVD group were significantly less than that of control group, there were significant differences in the domains of directional ability, attention and computing ability, delayed recall, and visual perception (all P < .05); the total Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale scores in AD, CSVD group were significantly less than that of control group. There were significant differences in the domains of visual space and execution, immediate remember, attention and computing ability, language, delayed recall, and directional ability (all P < .05); diabetes was a risk factor both for AD (hazard ratio = 1.63, 95% confidence interval: 1.35-1.97) and CSVD (hazard ratio = 1.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.27).The cognitive dysfunctions of AD are difference to that of CSVD patients, and diabetes is the risk factor both for AD and CSVD, future studies are needed to further identify the prevention and treatment of AD and CSVD.

Primary empty sella: The risk factors and associations with the cerebral small vessel diseases-An observational study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk factors of primary empty sella (PES) and its associations with cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVD).

METHODS

A total of 132 consecutive patients were recruited from Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from December 2018 to January 2020, including 69 cases of PES, and age, gender-matched 63 subjects without PES. Demographics and clinical characteristics were recorded. Enlarged perivascular spaces (PVS) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH), which are image markers for CSVD, were assessed. Univariate logistic regression models and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to predict the independent risk factors of PES.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in baseline characteristics in terms of hypertension (p < 0.001) and pregnancy (p = 0.019) between PES and the control group; among markers of CSVD, whole WMH (p = 0.030) and periventricular hyperintensities (PVH) (p = 0.027) were significantly different; however, no significant differences concerning deep WMH, total PVS, basilar ganglia-PVS and centrum semiovale-PVS (p > 0.05). After adjusting relevant potential confounders, multivariate logistic regression revealed hypertension (OR=3.158, 95 %CI: 1.452∼6.865, p = 0.004) and pregnancy (OR=2.236, 95 %CI: 1.036-4.826, p = 0.040) were independent risk factors for PES.

CONCLUSION

Hypertension and pregnancy are independent risk factors of PES. There is a possible correlation between PES and WMH, especially PVH, however, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity is Related to the Total Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease Score in an Apparently Healthy Asymptomatic Population

INTRODUCTION

Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) is an extensive cerebrovascular disease associated with many poor outcomes. Previous studies have shown that brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is related to various neuroimaging signatures, but its association with the total CSVD burden remains unknown. We aimed to explore whether baPWV is related to the total CSVD score and to establish a cutoff for detecting the presence and severity of CSVD, which may guide clinical preventive measures.

METHODS

We retrospectively selected 684 neurologically healthy participants to explore correlations between baPWV and the total CSVD score and each of its components (lacunes, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), perivascular space (PVS), and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs)). Subsequently, we established two receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to study the effectiveness of baPWV in predicting CSVD (scores 1-4) and severe CSVD (scores 3-4).

RESULTS

The median baPWV was 13.16 m/s, which increased significantly with increasing scores (0-4). BaPWV was significantly higher among persons with each component of the total CSVD score than among those without any components. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analyses showed that a one-unit (m/s) change in baPWV significantly increased the total CSVD score by 0.012. The optimal baPWV cutoffs for detecting CSVD and severe CSVD were 13.12 m/s and 15.63 m/s, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

BaPWV was positively correlated with the total CSVD score, suggesting that baPWV measurement is a useful method for early diagnosis of CSVD, which may contribute to preventing and controlling CSVD progression in the general population of China.

Brain Imaging Signs and Health-Related Quality of Life after Acute Ischemic Stroke: Analysis of ENCHANTED Alteplase Dose Arm

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The influence of specific brain lesions on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is uncertain. We aimed to identify imaging predictors of poor HRQoL in alteplase-treated participants of the alteplase dose arm of the Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke Study (ENCHANTED).

METHODS

ENCHANTED was an international trial of low- versus standard-dose intravenous alteplase in AIS patients, with functional outcome (modified Rankin scale [mRS]) and HRQoL on the 5-dimension European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D) assessed at 90 days post-randomization. Brain images were analyzed centrally by trained assessors. Multivariable logistic regression was undertaken in the study population randomly divided (2:1) into training (development) and validation (performance) groups, with age (per 10-year increase), ethnicity, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, diabetes mellitus, premorbid function (mRS score 0 or 1), and proxy respondent, forced into all models. Data are presented with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Eight prediction models were developed and validated in 2,526 AIS patients (median age 67.5 years; 38.4% female; 61.7% Asian) with complete brain imaging and 90-day EQ-5D utility score data. The best performance model included acute ischemic changes in the right (OR 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24-2.29) and deep (OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03-2.19) middle cerebral artery (MCA) regions. Several background features of brain frailty - atrophy, white matter change, and old infarcts - were significantly associated with adverse physical but not emotional HRQoL domains.

CONCLUSIONS

In thrombolysed AIS patients, right-sided and deep ischemia within the MCA territory predict poor overall HRQoL, whilst features of old cerebral ischemia are associated with reduced physical HRQoL.

Cerebral small vessel disease or intracranial large vessel atherosclerosis may carry different risk for future strokes

Background

The effect of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) on stroke outcomes remains unclear.

Methods

Data of 1045 patients with minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) were obtained from 45 sites of the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. We assessed the associations of burdens of CSVD and ICAS with new strokes and bleeding events using multivariate Cox regression models and those with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores using ordinal logistic regression models.

Results

Among the 1045 patients, CSVD was present in 830 cases (79.4%) and ICAS in 460 (44.0%). Patients with >1 ICAS segment showed the highest risk of new strokes (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.56, p=0.01). No association between CSVD and the occurrence of new strokes was found. The presence of severe CSVD (common OR (cOR) 2.01, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.89, p<0.001) and >1 ICAS segment (cOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.93, p<0.001) was associated with higher mRS scores. Severe CSVD (HR 10.70, 95% CI 1.16 to 99.04, p=0.04), but not ICAS, was associated with a higher risk of bleeding events. Six-point modified CSVD score improved the predictive power for bleeding events and disability.

Interpretation

CSVD is associated with more disability and bleeding events, and ICAS is associated with an increased risk of stroke and disability in patients with minor stroke and TIA at 3 months. CSVD and ICAS may represent different vascular pathologies and play distinct roles in stroke outcomes.

Trial registration number

NCT00979589

Imaging markers of small vessel disease and brain frailty, and outcomes in acute stroke

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of baseline imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and brain frailty with clinical outcome after acute stroke in the Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke (ENOS) trial.

METHODS

ENOS randomized 4,011 patients with acute stroke (<48 hours of onset) to transdermal glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) or no GTN for 7 days. The primary outcome was functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score) at day 90. Cognition was assessed via telephone at day 90. Stroke syndrome was classified with the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project classification. Brain imaging was adjudicated masked to clinical information and treatment and assessed SVD (leukoaraiosis, old lacunar infarcts/lacunes, atrophy) and brain frailty (leukoaraiosis, atrophy, old vascular lesions/infarcts). Analyses used ordinal logistic regression adjusted for prognostic variables.

RESULTS

In all participants and those with lacunar syndrome (LACS; 1,397, 34.8%), baseline CT imaging features of SVD and brain frailty were common and independently associated with unfavorable shifts in mRS score at day 90 (all participants: SVD score odds ratio [OR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.24; brain frailty score OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.17-1.34; those with LACS: SVD score OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.15-1.47, brain frailty score OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.14-1.44). Brain frailty was associated with worse cognitive scores at 90 days in all participants and in those with LACS.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline imaging features of SVD and brain frailty were common in lacunar stroke and all stroke, predicted worse prognosis after all acute stroke with a stronger effect in lacunar stroke, and may aid future clinical decision-making.

IDENTIFIER

ISRCTN99414122.

Small Vessel Disease

Small vessel disease (SVD) refers to conditions where damage to arterioles and capillaries is predominant, leading to reduced, or interrupted perfusion of the affected organ. Data suggest that when this condition is evident in any organ, it is already systemic in its occurrence and consequences. SVD affects primarily organs that receive significant portions of cardiac output such as the brain, the kidney, and the retina. Thus, SVD is a major etiologic cause in debilitating conditions such as renal failure, blindness, lacunar infarcts, and dementia. The factors that lead to this devastating condition include all the known vascular risk factors when they are not strictly controlled, but lifestyles that include sedentary existence, obesity, and poor sleep patterns are also recognized drivers of SVD. In addition, depression is now recognized as a vascular risk factor. Inflammation is a mediator of SVD, but it is not known which factor(s) predominate in its etiology. This article emphasizes the need for more investigations to define this link further and suggests clinical and societal responses that might reduce the major impacts of this condition on populations.

Total Small Vessel Disease Burden Predicts Functional Outcome in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is generally considered as a cause of stroke, disability, gait disturbances, vascular cognitive impairment, and dementia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the total SVD burden can be used to predict functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: From April 2017 to January 2018, consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent baseline MRI scan were evaluated. The functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days and defined as i) excellent outcome (mRS ≤ 1) and ii) good outcome (mRS ≤ 2). Brain MRI was performed and assessed for lacunes, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS). The total SVD burden was calculated based on lacunes, WMH, and EPVS and then summed up to generate an ordinal “total SVD burden” (range 0–3). Bivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the association between SVD and functional outcome.

Results: A total of 416 patients were included in the final analysis; 44.0, 33.4, 19.2, and 3.4% of the patients had 0, 1, 2, and 3 features of SVD, respectively. In regard to individual SVD feature, lacunes (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32–0.71; OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.31–0.77) and WMH (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34–0.82; OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33–0.85) were negatively associated with excellent outcome and good outcome. As to the total burden of SVD, three SVD features had strongest negative associations with functional outcomes (excellent outcome, OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03–0.48; good outcome, OR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06–0.54). After adjustment for potential confounders, a high SVD burden (3 features, OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.41) and the score of total SVD burden (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.44–0.93) remained negatively associated with excellent outcome.

Conclusion: Total SVD burden negatively associated with functional outcome at 3 months in patients with acute ischemic stroke and is superior to individual SVD feature in prediction of functional outcome. MRI-based assessment of total SVD burden is highly valuable in clinical management of stroke victims and could help guide the allocation of resources to improve outcome.

A Non-linear Association Between Total Small Vessel Disease Score and Hemorrhagic Transformation After Ischemic Stroke With Atrial Fibrillation and/or Rheumatic Heart Disease

Background: Previous studies have investigated the association between a single marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT). However, the effect of the total SVD burden on HT has not been evaluated yet. We aimed to investigate the association between the total SVD score and HT in ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Methods: Ischemic stroke patients with AF and/or RHD admitted within 7 days after onset were enrolled at two hospitals in China. The total SVD score was based on the presence of lacunes, extensive white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds, and moderate to severe enlarged perivascular spaces in the basal ganglia. One point was awarded for the presence of each marker, with the total SVD score ranging from 0 to 4 points. HT was assessed based on follow-up imaging scans during hospitalization and was classified according to the radiographic appearance and associated neurological deterioration. Results: Of 207 enrolled patients (mean age, 67.79 years; 58.9% female), 89 (43.0%) developed HT. The distribution of the total SVD score was significantly different between patients with and without HT in the univariate analysis (p = 0.04). After adjustment for confounders, a SVD score of 1 was independently associated with an increased risk of HT [odds ratio (OR), 3.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.48-7.04; p = 0.003], while a SVD score ≥2 was inversely related to the occurrence of HT (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.19-0.91; p = 0.03). These independent associations remained significant in the subgroups of hemorrhagic infarction and asymptomatic HT (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: In our study, the relationship between the total SVD score and HT was not linear, since the presence of only one marker of SVD was associated with an increased risk of HT, while the presence of two or more markers of SVD was a potential protective factor for HT. These results indicate the need to take the total SVD score into account, not only a single SVD marker, when assessing the risk of HT. Further studies with larger samples are required to validate these findings.

Exploring causal pathways linking cerebral small vessel diseases burden to poststroke depressive symptoms with structural equation model analysis

BACKGROUND

Cerebral small vessel diseases (SVD) are associated with poststroke depressive symptoms (PDS). The mechanisms underlying the association between SVD burden and PDS are unclear. This study investigated the clinical pathways linking SVD burden to PDS.

METHOD

A cohort of 563 patients with acute ischemic stroke were examined at three and fifteen months after stroke. PDS was measured with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Cognitive and physical functions were assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination and the modified Rankin Scale, respectively. All patients received MRI scans at baseline. Infarct volumes and the four SVD markers (lacunae, white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds, and perivascular spaces) were assessed on magnetic resonance imaging. SVD burden was defined as a latent variable encompassing the information about all four SVD markers in structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM was further employed to examine the direct and indirect linking pathways between SVD burden, infarct volumes, stroke severity, poststroke cognitive and physical dysfunctions, and PDS.

RESULTS

The latent SVD burden was directly associated with more severe PDS at the 3-month follow-up (path coefficient=0.11), while SVD burden and PDS at the 15-month were mainly linked through PDS at the 3-month follow-up (path coefficient=0.48). The volume of acute infarcts and impaired physical functions predominantly mediated the association between SVD burden and PDS at 3-month follow-up. Physical and cognitive functions 15 months after stroke mainly bridged the link between SVD burden and the PDS at the 15-month follow-up.

LIMITATIONS

The study included patients with mild stroke, which reduced the generalizability of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

SVD burden not only directly determines poststroke depressive symptoms, but also worsens acute stroke lesions, stroke severity, and poststroke neurological deficits, thereby contributing further to the development of PDS over the first 15 months after stroke.

Cerebral small vessel disease: neuroimaging markers and clinical implication

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a broad category of cerebrovascular diseases which primarily affect the perforating arterioles, capillaries and venules with multiple distinct etiologies. In spite of distinctive pathogenesis, CSVD shares similar neuroimaging markers, including recent small subcortical infarct, lacune of presumed vascular origin, white matter hyperintensity of presumed vascular origin, perivascular space and cerebral microbleeds. The radiological features of neuroimaging markers are indicative for etiological analysis. Furthermore, in sporadic arteriosclerotic pathogenesis associated CSVD, the total CSVD burden is a significant predictor for stroke events, global cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorders and later life quality. This review aims to summarize the radiological characteristics as well as the clinical implication of CSVD markers and neuroimaging interpretation for CSVD symptomatology.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden Is Associated With Poststroke Depressive Symptoms: A 15-Month Prospective Study

Objective: All types of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) markers including lacune, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebral microbleeds, and perivascular spaces were found to be associated with poststroke depressive symptoms (PDS). This study explored whether the combination of the four markers constituting an overall SVD burden was associated with PDS. Methods: A cohort of 563 patients with acute ischemic stroke were followed over a 15-month period after the index stroke. A score of ≥7 on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was defined as clinically significant PDS. Scores of the four SVD markers ascertained on magnetic resonance imaging were summed up to represent total SVD burden. The association between SVD burden and PDS was assessed with generalized estimating equation models. Results: The study sample had a mean age of 67.0 ± 10.2 years and mild-moderate stroke [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score: 3, interquartile, 1-5]. PDS were found in 18.3%, 11.6%, and 12.3% of the sample at 3, 9, and 15 months after stroke, respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, vascular risk factors, social support, stroke severity, physical and cognitive functions, and size and locations of stroke, the SVD burden was associated with an increased risk of PDS [odds ratio = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.58; p = 0.010]. Other significant predictors of PDS were time of assessment, female sex, smoking, number of acute infarcts, functional independence, and social support. Conclusion: SVD burden was associated with PDS examined over a 15-month follow-up in patients with mild to moderate acute ischemic stroke.