Risk factors of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces are different in various brain regions

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 26;9(8):e105505. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105505. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Few studies have reported on the risk factors of dilated Virchow-Robin Spaces (dVRS) in large samples of ischemic stroke patients. Little evidence exists regarding the relationship between dVRS and etiologic subtype of ischemic stroke or lacune. We aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with the severity of dVRS in a large sample of ischemic stroke patients.

Methods: We consecutively enrolled 1,090 patients who experienced an ischemic stroke within the past seven days and underwent a 3.0 T MRI scan in the Chinese IntraCranial AtheroSclerosis Study (ICAS). Clinical data and cranial MRI information of patients included age, sex, vascular risk factors, dVRS, leukoaraiosis, lacune, and etiologic subtype of ischemic stroke. Analyses were performed regarding the risk factors associated with the severity of dVRS by univariate analysis and multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis.

Results: Through multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis, age, the severity of leukoaraiosis, lacune, admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≤3, and the severity of dVRS in the white matter (WM) and hippocampus (Hip) were correlated with the severity of dVRS in basal ganglia (BG); male, history of hypertension, admission NIHSS ≤3, and the severity of dVRS in BG and Hip were correlated with the severity of dVRS in WM; female, the severity of leukoaraiosis, admission NIHSS >3, small artery occlusion subtype of ischemic stroke, and the severity of dVRS in BG and WM were correlated with the severity of dVRS in Hip.

Conclusion: dVRS is an indicator of cerebral small vessel diseases such as leukoaraiosis and lacune. However, the risk factors of dVRS differ in various brain regions.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Diseases / etiology*
  • Brain Diseases / pathology
  • Brain Ischemia / complications*
  • Brain Ischemia / pathology
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / etiology*
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / pathology
  • Cysts / etiology*
  • Cysts / pathology
  • Ectodermal Dysplasia / etiology*
  • Ectodermal Dysplasia / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukoaraiosis / complications
  • Leukoaraiosis / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stroke / complications*
  • Stroke / pathology

Supplementary concepts

  • Sener syndrome

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, grant no. National S&T Major Project of China (2012ZX09303-005-001, 2011BAI08B02), Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (D111107003111007, Z131100002613005), and State Key Development Program of Basic Research of China (2009CB521905) and, in part, by the S.H. Ho Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.