Sphenoid sinus mucocele causing ptosis with pupil-spared ophthalmoplegia: a hint on carotid artery doppler ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: Sphenoid sinuses mucocele (SSM) is an uncommon cause of orbital apex syndrome (OAS). Diagnosis of neurological complications in SSM might be delayed when the expansion of mucocele beyond the sinuses is not evident in conventional sinuses imaging. METHODS: We present a case of a 76-years old man with spared-pupil ophthalmoplegia associated with ptosis caused by a unilateral left SSM in which internal carotid artery Doppler ultrasound showed distal sub-occlusion waves pattern. RESULTS: Sinus occupation was noted in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was further evaluated in computed tomography (CT) scan and MR angiography. Nor CT or MR angiography showed clear evidence of neighboring structures compression. Doppler ultrasound of internal carotid showed high-resistance waveforms and decreased wave velocities helping diagnosis. Structures compression was confirmed intra-operatively and the patient was discharged asymptomatic after sphenoid sinus drainage. CONCLUSION: In this first report of carotid Doppler ultrasound findings in a patient with a neurological presentation of a sphenoid sinus mucocele, a high-resistance waveform of the internal carotid may help differentiate uncomplicated sinusitis from invasive mucocele.

Patterns of progression of cerebral small vessel disease markers in older adults of Amerindian ancestry: a population-based, longitudinal prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Progression of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) markers has been studied in different races/ethnic groups. However, information from individuals of Amerindian ancestry is lacking. We sought to evaluate progression patterns of cSVD markers in community-dwelling older adults of Amerindian ancestry. METHODS: Following a longitudinal prospective study design, participants of the Atahualpa Project Cohort aged ≥ 60 years received a baseline brain MRI and clinical interviews. Those who also received a brain MRI at the end of the study were included. Poisson regression models were fitted to assess cSVD markers progression according to their baseline load after a median follow-up of 6.5 ± 1.4 years. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess interrelations in the progression of the different cSVD markers at the end of the study. RESULTS: The study included 263 individuals (mean age: 65.7 ± 6.2 years). Progression of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) was noticed in 103 (39%) subjects, cerebral microbleeds in 25 (12%), lacunes in 12 (5%), and enlarged basal ganglia-perivascular spaces (BG-PVS) in 56 (21%). Bivariate Poisson regression models showed significant associations between WMH severity at baseline and progression of WMH and enlarged BG-PVS. These associations became non-significant in multivariate models adjusted for clinical covariates. Logistic regression models showed interrelated progressions of WMH, cerebral microbleeds and enlarged BG-PVS. The progression of lacunes was independent. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of cSVD marker progression in this population of Amerindians are different than those reported in other races/ethnic groups. The independent progression of lacunes suggests different pathogenic mechanisms with other cSVD markers.

Decreased Nighttime Heart Rate Variability and Progression of White Matter Hyperintensities of Presumed Vascular Origin. A Prospective Study in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the role of autonomic dysfunction on white matter hyperintensities (WMH) progression is limited. This study aims to assess the impact of a low nighttime heart rate variability (HRV) on WMH progression in community-dwelling older adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following a prospective longitudinal study design, all individuals aged ≥60 years enrolled in the Atahualpa Project Cohort from 2012 to 2019 were invited to receive baseline HRV determinations through 24-h Holter monitoring, together with clinical interviews and brain MRIs. These individuals were periodically followed by means of annual door-to-door surveys, and those who also received brain MRIs at the end of the study (May 2021) were included in the analysis. Poisson regression models, adjusted for relevant confounders, were fitted to assess the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of WMH progression according to nighttime standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN). RESULTS: This study included 254 individuals aged ≥60 years (mean age: 65.4 ± 5.9 years; 55% women). The mean nighttime SDNN was 116.8 ± 36.3 ms. Follow-up MRIs showed WMH progression in 103 (41%) individuals after a median follow-up of 6.5 years. In unadjusted analyses, nighttime SDNN was lower among participants who developed WMH progression than in those who did not (p < 0.001). A Poisson regression model, adjusted for relevant covariates, disclosed a significantly inverse association between nighttime SDNN and WMH progression (IRR: 0.99; 95% C.I.: 0.98-0.99; p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Study results show an inverse association between nighttime SDNN and WMH progression, and provide support for the role of sympathetic overactivity in this relationship.

SARS-CoV-2 in Rural Latin America. A Population-based Study in Coastal Ecuador.

Antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were detected in 303/673 rural Ecuadorian adults (45%), 77% of whom had compatible clinical manifestations. Seropositivity was associated with the use of open latrines. Our findings support the fears of mass spread of SARS-CoV-2 in rural Latin America and cannot exclude a contributing role for fecal-oral transmission.

Cognitive decline among individuals with history of mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection: A longitudinal prospective study nested to a population cohort.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurological complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection are noticed among critically ill patients soon after disease onset. Information on delayed neurological sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection is nil. Following a longitudinal study design, the occurrence of cognitive decline among individuals with a history of mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection was assessed. METHODS: Stroke- and seizure-free Atahualpa residents aged ≥40 years, who had pre-pandemic cognitive assessments as well as normal brain magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalogram recordings, underwent repeated evaluations 6 months after a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak infection in Atahualpa. Patients requiring oxygen therapy, hospitalization, and those who had initial neurological manifestations were excluded. Cognitive decline was defined as a reduction in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between the post-pandemic and pre-pandemic assessments that was ≥4 points greater than the reduction observed between two pre-pandemic MoCAs. The relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cognitive decline was assessed by fitting logistic mixed models for longitudinal data as well as exposure-effect models. RESULTS: Of 93 included individuals (mean age 62.6 ± 11 years), 52 (56%) had a history of mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Post-pandemic MoCA decay was worse in seropositive individuals. Cognitive decline was recognized in 11/52 (21%) seropositive and 1/41 (2%) seronegative individuals. In multivariate analyses, the odds for developing cognitive decline were 18.1 times higher among SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals (95% confidence interval 1.75-188; p = 0.015). Exposure-effect models confirmed this association (ß = 0.24; 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.41; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of cognitive decline among individuals with mild symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. The pathogenesis of this complication remains unknown.

Social Determinants of Health and Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living in a Rural Latin American Setting.

High social risk, as measured by the social determinants of health (SDH), may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, this association has not been studied in rural communities. Using the Atahualpa Project cohort, we aimed to assess the association between SDH and SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were determined in 319 individuals aged ≥ 60 years that completed a validated field instrument to assess their social risk before the introduction of this novel pandemic. Multivariate models were fitted to assess the independent association between SDH-and each of their components-and SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, after adjusting for relevant covariates. According to the Gijon scale, 102 (32%) individuals had a high social risk (≥ 10 points). A total of 141 (44%) individuals were seropositive to SARS-CoV-2. A fully-adjusted logistic regression model showed an independent) association between social risk and SARS-CoV-2 positivity (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.04-1.27; p = 0.008). For every unit of the total SDH score, the odds of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity increased 15% (95% CI 3.7-27%). In addition, multivariate models showed that the individual component of SDH more strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was housing, which suggested that lack of basic home facilities may increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Knowledge on the association between high social risk and SARS-CoV-2 infection is indispensable for the development of cost-effective preventive strategies for controlling modifiable factors that are in the path of SARS-CoV-2 infection among older adults living in underserved communities.

Dawson Fingers in Older Adults with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Population Study.

Dawson fingers are used to differentiate multiple sclerosis (MS) from other conditions that affect the subcortical white matter. However, there are no studies evaluating the presence of Dawson fingers in subjects with cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). We aimed to assess prevalence and -correlates of Dawson fingers in older adults with cSVD-related moderate-to-severe white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Community-dwelling older adults residing in rural Ecuador - identified by means of door-to-door surveys - underwent a brain MRI. Exams of individuals with cSVD-related moderate-to-severe WMH were reviewed with attention to the presence of Dawson fingers. Of 590 enrolled individuals, 172 (29%) had moderate-to-severe WMH. Of these, 18 (10.5%) had Dawson fingers. None had neurological manifestations suggestive of MS. Increasing age was independently associated with Dawson fingers (p = 0.017). Dawson fingers may be less specific for MS than previously thought. Concomitant damage of deep medullary veins may explain the presence of Dawson fingers in cSVD.

The association between aortic arterial stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques in community-dwelling older adults: A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: Information on the associations among arterial stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaques as biomarkers of atherosclerosis is limited in diverse populations. We aimed to assess whether aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) - as a surrogate of arterial stiffness - is associated with increased cIMT and the presence of carotid plaques in a cohort of older adults of Amerindian ancestry. METHODS: Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years (n = 320) underwent aPWV determinations, and carotid ultrasounds for cIMT and plaque assessment. Multivariate models were fitted to assess the independent association between the aPWV, and cIMT and carotid plaques, after adjusting for relevant confounders. Differences in risk factors across these biomarkers were investigated. RESULTS: Mean values of aPWV were 10.3 ± 1.8 m/s, and those of cIMT were 0.91 ± 0.21 mm (24% had a cIMT >1 mm). Carotid plaques were observed in 118 (37%) subjects. In univariate analyses, risk factors associated with an increased aPWV included age, female gender, poor physical activity and high blood pressure. An increased cIMT was associated with age, male gender, a poor diet, high blood pressure and severe tooth loss. The presence of carotid plaques was associated with increasing age, poor physical activity and high blood pressure. Multivariate models showed a significant association between aPWV and cIMT (ß: 0.028; 95% C.I.: 0.001-0.056; p = 0.047) but not between aPWV and carotid plaques (OR: 1.14; 95% C.I.: 0.83-1.56; p = 0.423). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an independent association between aPWV and cIMT but not with carotid plaques. These biomarkers may indicate distinct phenotypes for atherosclerosis.

Mediation of age in the association between frailty and large artery atherosclerosis burden - A population study in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: A systematic evaluation of the relationship between frailty and large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) burden has not been carried out. Here, we aimed to assess the association between these variables in community-dwelling older adults living in Atahualpa (rural Ecuador). METHODS: Participants underwent frailty assessment and determinations of LAA in several vascular beds. Frailty was estimated by the Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS). LAA was investigated in the peripheral vascular bed by means of ankle-brachial index determinations, in the extracranial carotid bed by B-mode ultrasounds, and in the intracranial bed by high-resolution CT and time-of-flight MRA. Ordinal logistic regression with interaction models were fitted to assess the independent association between levels of cognitive frailty and the LAA burden. Casual mediation and sensitivity analysis, and the E value, evaluated the effect of age in this association. RESULTS: Out of 331 included individuals, 176 (53%) were robust and the remaining 47% were either pre-frail (n = 78) or frail (n = 77). Atherosclerosis affected only one (any) vascular bed in 111 (34%) individuals, two beds in 75 (23%), and three beds in 22 (7%); the remaining 123 (37%) had no evidence of atherosclerosis. Univariate analysis showed a significant inverse association between the robust status of cognitive frailty and LAA burden (p = 0.006). This association vanishes after considering the effect of covariates. Causal mediation analysis confirms that age captures 51.8% (95% C.I.: 34.6 to 97.2%) of the effect of the association. Sensitivity analysis and E-value computation find that the amount of bias provided by age is enough to explain away the effect estimate. CONCLUSIONS: This study found no independent relationship between cognitive frailty and LAA burden.

Cerebrovascular Correlates of Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living in Rural Communities - The Three Villages Study. Rationale and Protocol of a Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the assumption that dementia is increasing in rural areas of Latin America, there is no information on the burden and risk factors leading to dementia in these settings. AIMS: To assess prevalence and incidence of dementia, and its cerebrovascular correlates in an established cohort of community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador, and to explore the impact of dementia on functional disability and the role of the social determinants of health in the above-mentioned relationships. DESIGN: Population-based, cohort study with cross-sectional and longitudinal components. Baseline clinical interviews will focus on the assessment of cognitive performance and dementia by means of the clinical dementia rating scale (CDRS). Functional disability and social determinants of health will be correlated with CDRS scores. In addition, participants will undergo interviews and procedures to assess cardiovascular risk factors and signatures of brain damage, cerebral small vessel disease, and other stroke subtypes. The CDRS and the Functional Activities Questionnaire will be administered every year to assess the rate of incident dementia and the severity of functional disability. Neuroimaging studies will be repeated at the end of the study (5 years) to assess the impact of newly appeared cerebral and vascular lesions on cognitive decline. COMMENT: This study will allow determine whether cerebrovascular diseases are in the path of dementia development in these rural settings. This may prove cost-effective for the development of preventive strategies aimed to control modifiable factors and reduce disability in patients with dementia living in underserved populations.

Prevalence and Correlates of Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults of Amerindian Ancestry. The Three Villages Study.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the prevalence and correlates of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is limited. We aimed to assess prevalence, clinical and neuroimaging correlates of ICAD in a cohort of older adults of Amerindian ancestry. METHODS: The study included 581 community-dwellers aged ≥60 years (mean age 71 ± 8.4 years; 57% women) living in rural Ecuadorian villages. ICAD was identified by means of CT determinations of carotid siphon calcifications (CSC) or MRA findings of significant stenosis of intracranial arteries. Fully-adjusted logistic regression models were fitted with biomarkers of ICAD as the dependent variables. RESULTS: A total of 205 (35%) of 581 participants had ICAD, including 185 with high calcium content in the carotid siphons and 40 with significant stenosis of at least one intracranial artery (20 subjects had both biomarkers). Increasing age, high fasting blood glucose, >10 enlarged basal ganglia-perivascular spaces and non-lacunar strokes were associated with high calcium content in the carotid siphons. In contrast, male gender, moderate-to-severe white matter hyperintensities, lacunar and non-lacunar strokes were associated with significant stenosis of intracranial arteries. Stroke was more common among subjects with any biomarker of ICAD than in those with no biomarkers (29% versus 9%, p < 0.001). Significant stenosis of intracranial arteries was more often associated with stroke than high calcium content in the carotid siphons, suggesting that CSC are more likely an ICAD biomarker than causally related to stroke. CONCLUSIONS: ICAD prevalence in Amerindians is high, and is significantly associated with stroke. CSC and significant stenosis of intracranial arteries may represent different phenotypes of ICAD.

Effect of Heart Rate Variability on the Association Between the Apnea-Hypopnea Index and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease.

Background and Purpose- The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is associated with cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), but pathogenesis of this association is elusive. We aimed to assess the effect of nighttime heart rate variability (HRV)-as a proxy of sympathetic upregulation-on the aforementioned association. Methods- Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years undergoing brain magnetic resonance imaging, polysomnography, and 24-hour Holter monitoring (N=176) were included. The presence of moderate-to-severe white matter hyperintensities, deep cerebral microbleeds, lacunar infarcts, and >10 enlarged basal ganglia perivascular spaces were added for estimating the cSVD score. Interaction models were fitted to assess the effect modification of nighttime HRV in the association between the AHI and the cSVD score, and mediation analysis was utilized to assess the proportion of total effect by nighttime HRV on this association. Results- Generalized linear models showed a significant association between the AHI and the cSVD score (P=0.025), as well as a significant inverse association between nighttime HRV and the cSVD score (P=0.002), but no association between daytime HRV and the cSVD score (P=0.097). Interaction models showed a significant interaction of nighttime HRV on the association between AHI and the cSVD score (P=0.001), and mediation analysis found that the percent of total effect between AHI and cSVD score mediated by HRV was 30.8%. Predictive marginal means of the cSVD score were highly significant when the 10th percentile of nighttime HRV was compared across categories of 10th and 90th percentiles of the AHI (cSVD score margins, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.37-0.86] versus 1.67 [95% CI, 1.26-2.09]). Contour plots showed the effect of nighttime (but not daytime) HRV on the association between AHI and the cSVD score. Conclusions- This study shows an important effect of nighttime HRV on the association between the AHI and the cSVD score and provides further support for the role of sympathetic overactivity on this association.

Arterial stiffness and total cerebral small vessel disease score in community-dwelling older adults: Results from the Atahualpa Project.

Information on the association between arterial stiffness and cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is limited and confined to white and Asian populations. More regional information is needed to confirm this association in different ethnic groups. Using the Atahualpa Project cohort, we aimed to assess whether the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is associated with the total cSVD score, as well as with each of the neuroimaging signatures of cSVD, in a population of Amerindians living in rural Ecuador. Atahualpa residents aged ⩾ 60 years were offered a brain magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) and aortic PWV determination. An ordinal logistic regression model, adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors, was constructed to predict the total cSVD score by levels of aortic PWV. The association between the neuroimaging signatures of cSVD and the aortic PWV was assessed by adjusted logistic regression models. Of 437 candidates, 303 (69%) underwent a brain MRI and aortic PWV determinations. The total cSVD score was 0 points in 65% of individuals, 1 point in 18%, 2 points in 11%, and 3-4 points in 6%. The mean aortic PWV was 10.4 ± 1.8 m/s, which increased from 9.8 ± 1.2 to 12.3 ± 1.8 m/s in individuals with a cSVD score of 0 and 3-4, respectively ( p < 0.001). An ordinal logistic regression model showed significant association between the PWV and the cSVD score. A change of one unit of the aortic PWV increased the odds of having a higher total cSVD score by 1.73 (95% CI: 1.28-2.35; p < 0.001). In addition, individual neuroimaging signatures of cSVD, with the exception of lacunar infarcts, were associated with the aortic PWV. This study shows a significant association between the aortic PWV and total cSVD score and most of its individual components in older Amerindians.

No association between the abdominal aorta diameter and cervicocephalic atherosclerosis-Potential non-atherosclerotic origins of abdominal aorta aneurysms?

The atherosclerotic origin of abdominal aorta (AA) aneurysms is controversial. Using the Atahualpa Project Cohort, we aimed to assess the relationship between the AA diameter and two surrogates of cervicocephalic atherosclerosis, including the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and the presence of carotid siphon calcifications (CSC). Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years undergoing ultrasound examinations of the abdominal aorta and the carotid arteries (to calculate the AA diameter and the cIMT), and head CT (to assess CSC severity) were included. Associations between AA diameter and cIMT and CSC severity were assessed by generalized linear models, after adjusting for relevant confounders. Of 256 participants, 64 (25%) had an increased cIMT and 85 (33%) had high calcium content in the carotid siphons. In univariate analysis, being male (p < 0.001) and having total cholesterol blood levels <240 mg/dL (p = 0.022) were associated with a higher AA diameter. Also in univariate analysis, the mean AA diameter was higher in individuals with an increased cIMT (p = 0.021), but such association disappeared in adjusted models. The AA diameter was not associated with high calcium content in the carotid siphons in either univariate or multivariate analyses. This population study shows no association between the AA diameter and cervicocephalic atherosclerosis in community-dwelling older adults, suggesting a non-atherosclerotic origin of AA aneurysms.

Low prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Amerindians: a population-based study in frequent fish consumers living in rural coastal Ecuador (The Atahualpa Project).

BACKGROUND: Information on the burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) in rural areas of developing countries is limited. Here, we aimed to assess AF prevalence in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador. METHODS: Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years (mean age 70.5 ± 8.1 years) underwent 24-h Holter monitoring. Participants belong to the Amerindian ethnic group. The mean height in the study population was 147.9 ± 8.9 cm. Oily fish was a major source of food (mean intake: 8 ± 4 servings/week). RESULTS: Seven of 298 participants (2.3%) had AF. Persons with AF were older than those without (p = 0.051), but there were no differences in cardiovascular risk factors across groups. None of the seven AF cases had been detected in routine 12-lead ECGs taken at enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of AF in older Amerindians living in rural Ecuador is low. Both, racially-determined short stature and frequent dietary oily fish intake might explain the low prevalence of AF in this rural setting.

Arterial Stiffness is Independently Associated with Severity of Carotid Siphon Calcifications in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Atahualpa Project.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the association between arterial stiffness and intracranial atherosclerosis is limited. Here, we aimed to assess whether the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV)-used as a surrogate of arterial stiffness-might independently predict severity of carotid siphon calcifications (CSCs), used as a marker of atherosclerosis. METHODS: Of 437 Atahualpa residents aged 60 years or older, 300 (69%) underwent head computed tomography (CT) (for CSC assessment), brain magnetic resonance imaging (for identification of neuroimaging signatures of cerebral small vessel disease [SVD]), and aortic PWV determinations (for arterial stiffness estimation). Ordinal logistic regression models were constructed to predict severity of CSC (as the dependent variable) according to levels of aortic PWV after adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and neuroimaging signatures of SVD. RESULTS: Grade 1 CSC were noticed in 120 (40%) subjects, grade 2 in 84 (28%), grade 3 in 73 (24%), and grade 4 in 23 (8%). The mean PWV was 10.4 ± 1.8 m/s, which increased from 9.8 ± 1.3 to 11.1 ± 2.1 m/s in individuals with grades 1 and 4 CSC, respectively (P <.001). The most parsimonious ordinal logistic regression model adjusted for relevant confounders showed a significant association between aortic PWV and severity of CSC. In this model, a change of 1 unit of aortic PWV increased the odds of CSC severity by 1.22 (95% confidence interval 1.07-1.39; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: The monotonically increased odds of aortic PWV among subjects with different grades of CSC, suggest that aortic PWV may be a marker for identifying candidates for CT screening in the search of CSC.

Basilar Artery Diameter Is Inversely Associated with Fetal Type Circle of Willis.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between basilar artery (BA) diameter and Circle of Willis (CoW) configuration has been scarcely investigated. We aimed to assess this association in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: MRAs of 346 individuals were reviewed. Using generalized linear models adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors, we assessed the relationship between BA diameter and fetal and non-fetal types CoW, as well as the impact of this relationship on BA ectasia prevalence. RESULTS: In the total population, the mean BA diameter was 3.13 ± 0.68 mm and 7 subjects (2%) had ectasia (BA diameter >4.5 mm). In 248 subjects with non-fetal types CoW, the mean BA diameter was 3.32 ± 0.62 mm, and 2.8% had ectasia. In 98 subjects with fetal type CoW, the mean BA diameter was 2.66 ± 0.58 mm, and no individual had ectasia. The BA diameter was smaller in subjects with fetal type CoW than in those with non-fetal types (ß 0.65; 95% CI 0.51-0.79; p < 0.001). Individuals with fetal type CoW have an 18% reduction in BA diameter compared to those with non-fetal types, independently of demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study shows an inverse relationship between the BA diameter and the presence of fetal type CoW.

Basilar Artery Dolichoectasia: Prevalence and Correlates With Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Basilar artery (BA) dolichoectasia has been associated with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). However, studies have focused on stroke patients, and results cannot be extrapolated to the population at large. In this study, we aimed to assess prevalence of BA dolichoectasia and its association with SVD in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador. METHODS: Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography of intracranial vessels. Following Smoker's criteria, the mean BA diameter plus 2 standard deviation defined ectasia. In addition, a location lateral to the lateral margin of the clivus of dorsum sellae or a bifurcation at the third ventricle floor or higher defined dolichosis. Associations between BA abnormalities and imaging markers of SVD were assessed by the use of regression models adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: Of 346 participants, 11 (3.2%) had ectasia, 40 (11.6%) had dolichosis, and 47 (13.6%) had dolichoectasia (ectasia, dolichosis, or both). BA diameter was only associated with severity of white matter hyperintensities (P = .038). Dolichosis was associated with deep cerebral microbleeds (P = .002) but not with white matter hyperintensities. Dolichoectasia was associated with both white matter hyperintensities (P = .031) and cerebral microbleeds (P = .001). There were no associations with lacunar infarcts or enlarged perivascular spaces in any model. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of BA dolichoectasia in this rural setting is similar to that reported in other populations. Associations with imaging markers of SVD differ according to whether the subject has ectasia or dolichosis.

Cognitive performance and all-cause mortality in community dwellers of Amerindian ancestry living in rural Ecuador: A population-based, longitudinal prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: There is limited information on mortality risk in individuals with cognitive impairment living in rural Latin America. In this study, we assess the association between cognitive impairment and all-cause mortality in adults of Amerindian ancestry living in rural Ecuador. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Middle-aged and older adults enrolled in the population-based Three Villages Study cohort were followed prospectively in order to estimate mortality risk according to their baseline cognitive performance as determined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results were adjusted for demographics, level of education, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, symptoms of depression, severe tooth loss, and oily fish intake (factors previously associated with mortality in the study population). RESULTS: Analysis included 1022 individuals followed for an average of 7.8 ± 3.4 years. Mean MoCA score was 21.2 ± 5.4 points (median: 22 points), with 334 (32.7%) individuals showing cognitive impairment, as evidenced by a MoCA score ≤ 19 points (the cutoff for poor cognitive performance based on previous studies in the same population). A total of 150 (14.7%) individuals died during the follow-up. Crude mortality rate was 2.87 per 100 person-years (95% C.I.: 2.08 - 3.96). For individuals with normal cognition, the mortality rate was 1.21 (95% C.I.: 0.92 - 1.50) while for those with cognitive impairment the rate increased to 3.48 (95% C.I.: 2.73 - 4.23). A multivariate Cox-proportional hazards model, confirmed that individuals with cognitive impairment had a significantly higher mortality risk than those without cognitive impairment (HR: 1.52; 95% C.I.: 1.05 - 2.18). CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive impairment is associated with mortality in the study population.

Risk for Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Severe COVID-19 Among Community-Dwellers With Pre-Existing Cervicocephalic Atherosclerosis: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 patients may develop atherosclerosis-related complications. Whether a proportion of these patients already had asymptomatic cervicocephalic atherosclerosis before SARS-CoV-2 infection is not known. This study assessed whether pre-existing cervicocephalic atherosclerosis increased the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection or resulted in more severe or fatal COVID-19. METHODS: Individuals enrolled in the Atahualpa Project cohort who received head CT (for assessing carotid siphon calcifications) and B-mode ultrasounds (for measurement of the carotid intima-media thickness) prior to the pandemic were eligible for this study. Among this cohort, those who also received serological tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and clinical evaluations for assessment of COVID-19 severity were enrolled. Multivariate logistic regression and exposure-effect models were fitted to assess the association between pre-existing atherosclerosis biomarkers, and SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and COVID-19 severity. RESULTS: Overall, 154 of 519 study participants (30%) had evidence of cervicocephalic atherosclerosis. A total of 325 (63%) individuals became SARS-CoV-2 positive, and 65 (23.5%) of seropositive individuals had severe or fatal COVID-19. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositive status did not differ across individuals with and without atherosclerosis biomarkers (P = .360). Likewise, seropositive individuals with pre-existing atherosclerosis were not more prone to develop severe or fatal COVID-19 than those without evidence of atherosclerosis (P = .274). Average estimated exposure effects of pre-existing cervicocephalic atherosclerosis versus no atherosclerosis over SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and COVID-19 severity were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing cervicocephalic atherosclerosis does not increase the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection nor the severity of COVID-19 among seropositive individuals.