Journal: |
Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
.Elsevier Inc
|
Volume: |
29
|
Abstract: |
Background: Few studies addressed the prevalence of cerebral microbleeds (CMB)
and associated risk factor profile in Egyptian ischemic cerebral stroke patients with
atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: The prevalence of CMB was estimated in 150 cases
of AF ischemic stroke patients and compared to the prevalence in 150 age- and sexmatched
controls of ischemic stroke patients without AF. CMB-associated risk factors
were identified by comparing AF ischemic stroke patients with and without
CMB. All participants were subjected to complete general, neurological examination,
and magnetic resonance imaging. Results: The prevalence of CMBs in ischemic
stroke with and without AF was 40.7% and 49.3%, respectively. Age, hypertension,
diabetes mellitus, past history of stroke, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, National Institutes
of Health Stroke Scale, CHA2DS2VASc, and white matter lesions (WML) were
significant risk factors associated with CMB on univariate analysis. On multivariable
logistic regression analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.1, confidence interval [CI]
1.02-1.13), hypertension (OR 3.2, CI 1.19-8.81), anticoagulant (OR 3.3, CI 1.17-9.40),
and WML (OR 9.6, CI 3.49-26.3) were the only independent risk factors associated
with the presence of CMBs. Conclusions: AF in ischemic stroke patients was not
associated with higher prevalence of CMBs. Old age, hypertension, anticoagulant
treatment, and WML were the independent risk factors associated with CMB in AF
ischemic stroke patients. Our results suggest that elderly hypertensive AF ischemic
stroke patients maintained on anticoagulant therapy should be screened for the
incidence of CMBs and monitored regularly for the development of intracerebral
hemorrhage.
|
|
|