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Leukoaraiosis on MRI in Patients with Minimally Symptomatic Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Authors :
Schulz, Ursula G.
Mason, Rebecca H.
Craig, Sonya E.
Howard, Sally
Nicoll, Deborah J.
Kohler, Malcolm
Rothwell, Peter M.
Stradling, John R.
Source :
Cerebrovascular Diseases; May2013, Vol. 35 Issue 4, p363-369, 7p, 1 Diagram, 3 Charts
Publication Year :
2013

Abstract

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with hypertension, nocturnal blood pressure (BP) surges, and increased risk of stroke. It may therefore also be associated with a higher risk of developing leukoaraiosis. Only few data about the prevalence of leukoaraiosis in patients with OSA, and any association between degrees of severity of either condition, exist. Methods: We studied patients who were part of a clinical trial (MOSAIC) in minimally symptomatic OSA. All patients had brain MRI (T2, FLAIR) at baseline. A single observer assessed the images for the presence and severity of leukoaraiosis (ARWMC-score). We related the extent of leukoaraiosis to the severity of OSA (measured by oxygen desaturation index [ODI]) and the presence of other vascular risk factors. Results: 183 patients (156 men, 85.2%; mean age ± SD = 57.7 ± 7.4 years; median oxygen desaturation index = 9.6, interquartile range = 4.6-16.0) took part in the study. Although 135 (74%) patients had some leukoaraiosis, this was generally mild. We confirmed the well-known risk factor associations between leukoaraiosis, increasing age (p < 0.0001) and hypertension (p = 0.003), but we did not find any association between OSA and leukoaraiosis (p = 0.33), despite both conditions being associated with increasing current BP and a history of hypertension. Conclusion: Our data confirm the well-known association between leukoaraiosis, age and increasing BP. However, we found no association between OSA and leukoaraiosis despite some shared risk factor associations. Our findings suggest that OSA is not a strong independent risk factor for leukoaraiosis. Confounding by hypertension may explain any apparent association in previously reported studies of patients with severer OSA. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
10159770
Volume :
35
Issue :
4
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Cerebrovascular Diseases
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
87692483
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1159/000348845