TY - JOUR
T1 - Nonfocal Transient Neurological Attacks Are Associated With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
AU - Oudeman, Eline A.
AU - Greving, Jacoba P.
AU - Van den Berg-Vos, Renske M.
AU - Biessels, Geert Jan
AU - Bron, Esther E.
AU - van Oostenbrugge, Robert
AU - de Bresser, Jeroen
AU - Kappelle, L. Jaap
AU - Heart-Brain Connection Consortium
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Background and Purpose-Nonfocal transient neurological attacks (TNAs), such as unsteadiness, bilateral weakness, or confusion, are associated with an increased risk of stroke and dementia. Cerebral ischemia plays a role in their pathogenesis, but the precise mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that cerebral small vessel disease is involved in the pathogenesis of TNAs and assessed the relation between TNAs and manifestations of cerebral small vessel disease on magnetic resonance imaging.Methods-We included participants from the HBC (Heart-Brain Connection) study. In this study, hemodynamic and cardiovascular contributions to cognitive impairment have been studied in patients with heart failure, carotid artery occlusion, or possible vascular cognitive impairment, as well as in a reference group. We excluded participants with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attacks. The occurrence of the following 8 TNAs was assessed with a standardized interview: unconsciousness, confusion, amnesia, unsteadiness, bilateral leg weakness, blurred vision, nonrotatory dizziness, and paresthesias. The occurrence of TNAs was related to the presence of lacunes or white matter hyperintensities (Fazekas score, >= 2; early confluent or confluent lesions) in logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, and hypertension.Results-Of 304 participants (60% men; mean age, 679 years), 63 participants (21%) experienced >= 1 TNAs. Lacunes and early confluent or confluent white matter hyperintensities were more common in participants with TNAs than in participants without TNAs (35% versus 20%; adjusted odds ratio, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.22-4.40] and 48% versus 27%; adjusted odds ratio, 2.65 [95% CI, 1.44-4.90], respectively).Conclusions-In our study, TNAs are associated with the presence of lacunes and early confluent or confluent white matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin, which indicates that cerebral small vessel disease might play a role in the pathogenesis of TNAs.
AB - Background and Purpose-Nonfocal transient neurological attacks (TNAs), such as unsteadiness, bilateral weakness, or confusion, are associated with an increased risk of stroke and dementia. Cerebral ischemia plays a role in their pathogenesis, but the precise mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that cerebral small vessel disease is involved in the pathogenesis of TNAs and assessed the relation between TNAs and manifestations of cerebral small vessel disease on magnetic resonance imaging.Methods-We included participants from the HBC (Heart-Brain Connection) study. In this study, hemodynamic and cardiovascular contributions to cognitive impairment have been studied in patients with heart failure, carotid artery occlusion, or possible vascular cognitive impairment, as well as in a reference group. We excluded participants with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attacks. The occurrence of the following 8 TNAs was assessed with a standardized interview: unconsciousness, confusion, amnesia, unsteadiness, bilateral leg weakness, blurred vision, nonrotatory dizziness, and paresthesias. The occurrence of TNAs was related to the presence of lacunes or white matter hyperintensities (Fazekas score, >= 2; early confluent or confluent lesions) in logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, and hypertension.Results-Of 304 participants (60% men; mean age, 679 years), 63 participants (21%) experienced >= 1 TNAs. Lacunes and early confluent or confluent white matter hyperintensities were more common in participants with TNAs than in participants without TNAs (35% versus 20%; adjusted odds ratio, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.22-4.40] and 48% versus 27%; adjusted odds ratio, 2.65 [95% CI, 1.44-4.90], respectively).Conclusions-In our study, TNAs are associated with the presence of lacunes and early confluent or confluent white matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin, which indicates that cerebral small vessel disease might play a role in the pathogenesis of TNAs.
KW - cerebral small vessel diseases
KW - humans
KW - magnetic resonance imaging
KW - neurologic manifestations
KW - odds ratio
KW - ISCHEMIC ATTACK
KW - SYMPTOMS
KW - ABNORMALITIES
KW - STROKE
KW - RISK
U2 - 10.1161/strokeaha.119.025328
DO - 10.1161/strokeaha.119.025328
M3 - Article
C2 - 31637974
VL - 50
SP - 3540
EP - 3544
JO - Stroke
JF - Stroke
SN - 0039-2499
IS - 12
ER -