AUTHOR=Zhang Li , Zhou Quan , Shao Li Hua , Wen Jun , Xia Jun 

TITLE=Association of Carotid Atherosclerosis With White Matter Hyperintensity in an Asymptomatic Japanese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.665573

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2021.665573

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> A limited number of scholars concentrated on the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) (i.e., CAS-WMH relationship). The current research aimed to clarify the CAS-WMH relationship in Japanese population.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> All participants underwent MRI of head and ultrasonography of the carotid artery. WMH was diagnosed from MRI results. The carotid ultrasound findings, carotid artery plaque score (PS), and plaque number (PN) could be achieved to indicate the severity of CAS. We also employed multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the CAS-WMH relationship. Interaction and stratified analyses were undertaken on the basis of a number of factors (e.g., gender, age, smoking status, drinking habit, and history of chronic diseases).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> A total of 1,904 Japanese subjects were included, and the prevalence of WMH was 54.8% (1,044/1,904). It was unveiled that frequency of CAS was greater in cases with WMH. In a fully adjusted model, high PS was associated with the frequency of WMH, followed by high PN. Further analyses revealed a dose-response relationship between PS and incidence of WMH.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> PS and PN exhibited the greatest influences on determining the frequency of WMH, highlighting the potentially important pathophysiological role of large artery atherosclerosis in intensifying WMH.</p>