Cerebral small vessel disease score and atherosclerosis burden - A population study in community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVE

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) and large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) are related to different pathogenetic mechanisms. However, relationships between single biomarkers of cSVD and LAA affecting isolated vascular beds have been reported. Using the Atahualpa Project cohort, we aimed to assess the association between cSVD score categories and LAA burden in community-dwelling older adults.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Atahualpa individuals aged ≥60 years undergoing assessment of the cSVD score and LAA in the peripheral, carotid extracranial, and intracranial vascular beds (n = 333) were included. Multivariate models were fitted to assess independent associations between the cSVD score and LAA burden.

RESULTS

The cSVD score was 0 points in 62 % individuals, 1 point in 19 %, 2 points in 13 %, and 3-4 points in 7 %. LAA involved the extracranial carotid bed in 43 % individuals, the intracranial bed in 36 %, and the peripheral bed in 20 %. One vascular bed was involved in 111 (33 %) individuals, two beds in 75 (23 %), and three beds in 23 (7 %). The remaining 124 (37 %) had no atherosclerosis. Ordinal logistic regression models showed progressively greater associations between higher categories of cSVD score and the odds of having more beds involved with LAA. Multinomial logistic regression models showed associations between categories of cSVD score and LAA burden, but only when two or three vascular beds were involved.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates robust associations between the cSVD score and LAA, which become evident at the upper end of the spectrum of cSVD score (3-4 points) and LAA burden (2-3 vascular beds involved).

Synergistic effect of hypertension and smoking on the total small vessel disease score in healthy individuals: the Kashima scan study

The total cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) score is a proposed comprehensive index of SVD severity in the brain. However, data on lifestyle-related risk factors affecting SVD scores are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 858 neurologically healthy adults who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Information on clinical and lifestyle-related risk factors was obtained from health screenings. The SVD score (0-4) was calculated from the presence of lacunes, cerebral microbleeds, moderate to severe white matter lesions, and basal ganglia perivascular spaces on MRI. Subjects were divided into two groups by SVD score; potential risk factors and their joint effects in the two groups were assessed by logistic regression. Biologic interactions were estimated using the synergy index. After adjustment for possible confounders, the adjusted odds ratio for moderate to severe SVD scores (SVD score ≥ 2) was 1.12 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.16) for age per year, 1.33 (95% CI 1.02-1.74) for body mass index per standard deviation, 3.39 (95% CI 1.90-6.03) for hypertension, 2.31 (95% CI 1.14-4.69) for diabetes, and 2.35 (95% CI 1.10-5.02) for smoking. Hypertension and current smoking had a synergistic effect on the risk of moderate to severe SVD (OR 10.59, 95% CI 3.97-28.3; synergy index 4.03, 95% CI 1.17-28.30), and the combination of hypertension and diabetes had an additive effect on the risk of moderate to severe SVD (OR 9.48, 95% CI 3.80-23.66; synergy index 2.12, 95% CI 0.68-6.67). Therefore, combined strategies for managing hypertension, smoking, and diabetes may be effective for preventing SVD.