Significance of microbleeds in patients with transient ischaemic attack

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of microbleeds in TIA-patients. In patients with a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), the prognostic value of microbleeds is unknown. Methods: In 176 consecutive TIA patients, the number, size, and location of microbleeds with or without acute ischaemic lesions were assessed. We compared microbleed- positive and microbleed- negative patients with regard to the end-point stroke within 3 months. Results: Four of the seven patients with subsequent stroke had microbleeds. Microbleed-positive patients had a higher risk for stroke [ odds ratios (OR) 8.91, 95% CI 1.87-42.51, P < 0.01] than those without microbleeds. Microbleed-positive patients with accompanying acute ischaemic lesions had a higher stroke risk than those with neither an acute ischaemia nor a microbleed (OR 6.20, 95% CI 1.10-35.12; P = 0.04). Conclusion: Microbleeds alone or in combination with acute ischaemic lesions may increase the risk for subsequent ischaemic stroke after TIA within 3 months.