Abstract
It is unclear whether asymptomatic cerebral infarction (ACI) is associated with an increased risk of stroke. We therefore evaluated the number of ACI, perivascular hyperintensity (PVH) and deep subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH) on MRI in 468 subjects with ACI, who consist of in healthy elderly persons and in patients with a first stroke. The number of ACI (less than 10mm), perivascular space, the grading of PVH and DSWMH were significantly increased year by year. The grading of PVH was increased only in subjects with hypertension, although the number of ACI was increased in subjects with or without hypertension. No effects of total cholesterol and triglyceride on the number of ACI and the grading of PVH and DSWMH were observed. In subjects with ACI, annual incidence of clinical stroke was significantly higher in patients with a first stroke (6.9%) than in healthy elderly persons (1.7%). Although the number of ACI was significantly aggravated year by year in spite of using hypertensive, hyperlipidemic and anti-platetet agents, the grading of PVH and DSWMH were aggravated only in patients given no medications. These results indicate that the management of risk factors is important for patients with ACI, as same as in patients with stroke.
