Higher severity of frontal periventricular white matter and basal ganglia hyperintensities in first-ever lacunar stroke with multiple silent lacunes

Abstract

We investigated whether patients with a lacunar infarct (LI) syndrome exhibiting unique LI or multiple LI on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations differed in terms of topography and severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) ratings. Forty consecutive patients with a first-ever acute LI, who presented a lacunar syndrome according to Miller-Fisher's classification were recruited and were classified into a group presenting isolated LI on MRI (n = 17) or multiple LI (n = 23). Despite equivalent demographic, clinical and cognitive characteristics, patients with multiple LI had increased ratings of WMH in frontal, occipital and subcortical regions. No significant correlations could be evidenced between the number of LI and WMH ratings. Present findings provide support to previous hypothesis considering single and multiple LI MRI presentations of lacunar infarct patients as distinct entities.