Associations of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients With Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be associated with the pathogenesis and phenotype of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), which is the commonest cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of CKD with ICH neuroimaging phenotype, volume, and location, total burden of small vessel disease, and its individual components. METHODS: In 2 cohorts of consecutive patients with ICH evaluated with MRI, we investigated the frequency and severity of CKD based on established Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria, requiring estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) measurements <60 mL/min/1.732 ≥ 3 months apart to define CKD. MRI scans were rated for ICH neuroimaging phenotype (arteriolosclerosis, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, mixed location SVD, or cryptogenic ICH) and the presence of markers of SVD (white matter hyperintensities [WMHs], cerebral microbleeds [CMBs], lacunes, and enlarged perivascular spaces, defined according to the STandards for ReportIng Vascular changes on nEuroimaging criteria). We used multinomial, binomial logistic, and ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes to account for possible confounding caused by shared risk factors of CKD and SVD. RESULTS: Of 875 patients (mean age 66 years, 42% female), 146 (16.7%) had CKD. After adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, patients with CKD had higher rates of mixed SVD than those with eGFR >60 (relative risk ratio 2.39, 95% CI 1.16-4.94, p = 0.019). Severe WMHs, deep microbleeds, and lacunes were more frequent in patients with CKD, as was a higher overall SVD burden score (odds ratio 1.83 for each point on the ordinal scale, 95% CI 1.31-2.56, p < 0.001). Patients with eGFR ≤30 had more CMBs (median 7 [interquartile range 1-23] vs 2 [0-8] for those with eGFR >30, p = 0.007). DISCUSSION: In patients with ICH, CKD was associated with SVD burden, a mixed SVD phenotype, and markers of arteriolosclerosis. Our findings indicate that CKD might independently contribute to the pathogenesis of arteriolosclerosis and mixed SVD, although we could not definitively account for the severity of shared risk factors. Longitudinal and experimental studies are, therefore, needed to investigate causal associations. Nevertheless, stroke clinicians should be aware of CKD as a potentially independent and modifiable risk factor of SVD.

Statin Therapy for Secondary Prevention in Ischemic Stroke Patients With Cerebral Microbleeds.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The association between statin use and the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICrH) following ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in patients with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) remains uncertain. This study investigated the risk of recurrent IS and ICrH in patients receiving statins based on the presence of CMBs. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of individual patient data from the Microbleeds International Collaborative Network, comprising 32 hospital-based prospective studies fulfilling the following criteria: adult patients with IS or TIA, availability of appropriate baseline MRI for CMB quantification and distribution, registration of statin use after the index stroke, and collection of stroke event data during a follow-up period of ≥3 months. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of recurrent symptomatic stroke (IS or ICrH), while secondary endpoints included IS alone or ICrH alone. We calculated incidence rates and performed Cox regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, previous stroke, and use of antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs to explore the association between statin use and stroke events during follow-up in patients with CMBs. RESULTS: In total, 16,373 patients were included (mean age 70.5 ± 12.8 years; 42.5% female). Among them, 10,812 received statins at discharge, and 4,668 had 1 or more CMBs. The median follow-up duration was 1.34 years (interquartile range: 0.32-2.44). In patients with CMBs, statin users were compared with nonusers. Compared with nonusers, statin therapy was associated with a reduced risk of any stroke (incidence rate [IR] 53 vs 79 per 1,000 patient-years, adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.68 [95% CI 0.56-0.84]), a reduced risk of IS (IR 39 vs 65 per 1,000 patient-years, aHR 0.65 [95% CI 0.51-0.82]), and no association with the risk of ICrH (IR 11 vs 16 per 1,000 patient-years, aHR 0.73 [95% CI 0.46-1.15]). The results in aHR remained consistent when considering anatomical distribution and high burden (≥5) of CMBs. DISCUSSION: These observational data suggest that secondary stroke prevention with statins in patients with IS or TIA and CMBs is associated with a lower risk of any stroke or IS without an increased risk of ICrH. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence that for patients with IS or TIA and CMBs, statins lower the risk of any stroke or IS without increasing the risk of ICrH.

Hypertension and small vessel disease: do the drugs work?

Associations of hypertension with ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage, particularly when attributed to cerebral small vessel disease, are well established. While it seems plausible that treating hypertension should prevent small vessel disease from developing or progressing, there is limited evidence demonstrating this. This article critically appraises the evidence answering this clinical question. Hypertension is also closely associated with chronic kidney disease, with anatomical and functional similarities between the vasculature of the brain and kidneys leading to the hypothesis that shared multi-system pathophysiological processes may be involved. Therefore, the article also summarises data on prevention of progression of chronic kidney disease. Evidence supports a target blood pressure of <130/80 mmHg to optimally prevent progression of both small vessel disease and chronic kidney disease. However, future studies are needed to determine long-term effects of more intensive blood pressure treatment targets on small vessel disease progression and incident dementia.

Associations of renal function with cerebral small vessel disease and functional outcome in acute intracerebral haemorrhage: A hospital-based prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a severe clinical consequence of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), but associations between renal impairment and SVD in patients with ICH have not been fully characterised. METHODS: Using data from the CROMIS-2 ICH observational study, we compared SVD neuroimaging markers and total burden (score 0-3) identified using CT brain imaging in patients with and without renal impairment (estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR<60). We assessed functional outcome at 6-month follow-up using the modified Rankin scale. RESULTS: 1027 participants were included (mean age 72.8, 57.1% male); 274 with and 753 without renal impairment. 18.7% of the eGFR<60 group had moderate-to-severe SVD burden (score 2-3), compared with 14.0% of those with eGFR>60 (p = 0.039). SVD burden was associated with renal impairment after adjusting for hypertension (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.04-1.77, p = 0.023), but not after adjusting for age. Cerebral atrophy was more prevalent in patients with eGFR<60 (81.2% vs. 72.0%, p = 0.002), as were WMH (45.6% vs. 36.6%, p = 0.026). Neither was associated with renal function after adjusting for age and vascular risk factors. Renal impairment was associated with functional outcome (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47-0.89, p = 0.007), but not after adjusting for age, pre-morbid function and comorbidities (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.65-1.38, p = 0.774). CONCLUSION: In acute ICH, renal impairment is associated with a higher cerebral SVD burden independent of hypertension, but not age. Reduced eGFR is associated with worse functional outcome, but not independent of age and comorbidities. Since CT has limited sensitivity to detect SVD severity and distribution, further studies including MRI are needed.