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Recurrent lacunar infarction following a previous lacunar stroke: a clinical study of 122 patients.

Arboix A, Font A, Garro C, García-Eroles L, Comes E, Massons J

Cerebrovascular Division, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, E-08029 Barcelona, Spain. aarboix@hscor.com

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical variables related to recurrent lacunar infarction following a previous lacunar stroke. METHODS: A total of 122 out of 733 consecutive patients with lacunar infarction collected from a hospital based registry between 1986 and 2004 were readmitted because of a recurrent lacunar infarction. In a subset of 59 patients, cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Predictors of lacunar infarction recurrence were assessed by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: First lacunar infarction recurrence occurred in 101 patients (83%) and multiple recurrences in 21. The mean time between first ever lacunar infarction and recurrent lacunes was 58.3 months (range 2-240). In the subset of 59 patients in whom cognition was studied, cognitive impairment, defined as an MMSE score <24, was detected in 16% (8/49) of patients with first lacunar infarction recurrence and in 40% (4/10) of those with multiple lacunar infarction recurrences. In the multivariate analysis, hypertension (odds ratio 2.01, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.30) and diabetes (odds ratio 1.62, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.46) were significant predictors of lacunar stroke recurrence, whereas hyperlipidaemia was inversely associated (odds ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension and diabetes were significant factors related to recurrent lacunar infarction. Hyperlipidaemia appeared to have a protective role. Cognitive impairment was a frequent finding in patients with multiple lacunar infarction recurrences.

Published 20 November 2007 in J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 78(12): 1392-4.
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