Effect of metabolic syndrome on the imagings of brain damage in patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of metabolic syndrome and its components on imaging of brain impairment in subcortical ischemic vascular disease. Methods 120 patients with subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD) including 25 cases without metabolic syndrome, 25 cases with the risk of metabolic syndrome, 70 cases with metabolic syndrome. The diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome was the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel Ⅲ (NCEP-ATP Ⅲ). Brain MRI was assessed by the Scheltens scale, and divided into 3 regions: periventricular hyper-intensities (PVH), leukoaraiosis (LA), basal ganglia hyper-intensities (BG). Results The assessment scores of PVH, LA, BG and Scheltens scores were higher in patients with the risk of metabolic syndrome and patient with metabolic syndrome than in patient without metabolic syndrome 〔(3.75±1.60), (4.21±1.09) vs. (2.76±1.62), (10.67±5.26), (13.79±5.25) vs. (6.36±3.93), (3.21±2.62), (6.90±4.25) vs. (1.52±1.50), (17.62±8.32), (24.90±9.25) vs. (10.58±5.89), respectively, all P<0.05〕. Waist circumference had positive correlations with LA and Scheltens scores (r=0.185, P=0.046; r=0.488, P<0.001). Positive correlation was found between triglyceride (TG) and LA, BG scores(r=0.188, P=0.042; r=0.311, P=0.001). The positive correlations of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) with LA, BG and Scheltens scores were found (r=0.235, P=0.011; r=0.229, P=0.013; r=0.206, P=0.027). High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) was correlated negatively with LA, BG and Scheltens scores (r=-0.238, P=0.010; r=-0.189, P=0.042; r=-0.335, P<0.001). The further multivariate linear regression analysis showed that IGT, HDL-C had significant correlations with LA assessment score (both P<0.05), TG had significant correlation with BG assessment score (P<0.05), and waist circumfernce, IGT, HDL-C had significant correlations with Scheltens scores (all P<0.05). Conclusions Metabolic syndrome and its components correlate with the imagings of cerebral damage in SIVD. Abdominal obesity, TG, IGT, HDL-C are the important risk factors for SIVD. Key words: Metabolic syndrome X; Hypoxia-ischemia, brain; Magnetic resonance