Progression of neuroimaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease in older adults: A 6-year follow-up study

We investigated progression and interrelationships of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) markers. This population-based cohort study included 325 participants (age >= 60 years) who had repeated measures of cSVD markers over 6 years: white-matter hyperintensity (WMH), perivascular spaces (PVS), lacunes, and grey-matter (GM) and ventricular volumes. We found that all cSVD markers, except PVS, progressed faster with increasing age. Regional WMH progressed faster in males and less-educated people ( p < 0.05). Each 10-point increment in global WMH score was associated with multi-adjusted hazard ratio of 1.78 (95% CI = 1.50-2.10) for incident lacunes and multi-adjusted beta-coefficients of 0.15 (0.08-0.22), -0.37 (-0.58- 0.16), and 0.11 (0.03-0.18) for annual changes of global WMH score, GM volume, and ventricular volume, respectively. The corresponding figures associated with per 10-PVS increment were 1.14 (1.01-1.28), 0.07 (0.03-0.11), -0.18 (-0.32-0.04), and 0.02 (-0.03-0.07). Prevalent lacunes were related to multi-adjusted beta-coefficients of 0.29 (0.0 0-0.58), 0.22 (0.05-0.38), 0.10 (0.01-0.18), and -0.93 (-1.83-0.03) for annual changes of global, deep, and periventricular WMH scores and GM volume, respectively. These results suggest that cSVD progresses faster in older, male, and less-educated people, and that greater loads of WMH, PVS, and lacunes anticipate faster cSVD progression. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.

Automated summary

This study investigated the progression and interrelationships of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) markers. The results showed that cSVD markers, except for perivascular spaces (PVS), progressed faster with increasing age. Regional white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) progressed faster in males and less-educated individuals. An increase in global WMH score was associated with a higher risk of incident lacunes. These findings suggest that cSVD progresses faster in older, male, and less-educated individuals, and greater loads of WMH, PVS, and lacunes indicate faster cSVD progression.