The Association Between Different Types Of Leukoaraiosis And Risk Factors

BackgroundIschemic Leukoaraiosis is usually seen in asymptomatic aged, and believed to be related with old age and a hypertension. The clinical studies on the relationship between leukoaraiosis and vascular risk factors vary a lot,and should be studied further.ObjectTo study the association between different types of leukoaraiosis and risk factors.MethodVascular risk factors of age,sex.smoking history,alcohol history,hypertension history atherosclerosis plaque, diabetes, coronary heart disease, hyperhomocysteinemia and plasma lipids of160patients hospitalized in the neurological department were collected from July of2011to July of2012. All the patients undergone cranial CT or MRI, and according to the parts of leukoaraiosis is divided into four groups. leukoaraiosis group (LA group n=120),LA group is further specified as Periventricular type group(LA1group n=57),Subcortical type group(LA2group n=31), Mixed type group(LA3group n=32), Normal control group(NC group, n=40) Apply Chi-square test, univariate method and Logistic regression to analyze the association between leukoaraiosis and the risk factors.ResultCompared to NC group, LA group has more patients with elder age, hypertension history/atherosclerosis plaque/hyperhomocysteinemia and diabetes(P<0.05),while sex,smoking history,alcohol history,coronary heart disease and abnormal plasma lipoprotein show no significant difference.Between groups Logistic regression analysis confirms elder age,hypertension, atherosclerosis plaque,are independently associated with leukoaraiosis. Hyperhomocysteinemia is the risk factor of ventricle LA and mixed LA. Diabetes were assessed by univariate analysis between NC group and LA group may be statistically significant(P<0.05).When were assassed by Logistic regression in LA group (OR=0.995,95%CI(0.229-4.322).ConclusionElder age,hypertension, atherosclerosis plaque, hyperhomocysteinemia are independently related with leukoaraiosis.Diabetes seems to duality factor on the development of LA. Yet to be confirmed by further studies whether diabetes risk factors or protective factors in LA.