The impact of chronic kidney disease on cerebral hemodynamics: A transcranial Doppler study

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) independently increases the risk of stroke and small vessel disease (SVD). This study compared SVD and a transcranial Doppler (TCD)-based marker of intracranial vascular resistance (pulsatility index, PI) in post-stroke patients with and without CKD. Between January 2015 and December 2017, 118 individuals with stable eGFR (50 with CKD) had cerebral MRI and TCD within three months of a stroke. The means of bilateral PI in anterior (anterior cerebral [ACA] and middle cerebral arteries [MCA]) and posterior vessels (posterior cerebral [PCA] and vertebral arteries [VA]) were computed. CKD strongly correlated with higher distal resistance (median CKD ACA PI 1.2, IQR 1.0 to 1.35 vs. controls 0.91 IQR 0.79 to 1.1 [p < 0.0001]; median MCA PI 1.14 IQR 1.03 to 1.39 vs. controls 0.93 IQR 0.79 to 1.1 [p < 0.0001]) and MRI SVD burden (median CKD SVD 4.98 x 10(4) IQR 2.66 to 7.76 x 10(4) voxels vs. controls median SVD 6.7 x 10(3) IQR 2.4 to 24.0 x 10(3) [p < 0.0001]). In conclusion, in patients with recent stroke, CKD is an independent determinant of increased intracranial vascular resistance in both anterior and posterior cerebral circulations. MRI SVD volume is significantly associated with anterior and posterior circulation PI.