Prevalence and vascular risk factors of basal ganglia calcifications in patients at risk for cerebrovascular disease - 23/05/19

Doi : 10.1016/j.neurad.2019.04.002

Esther J.M. de Brouwer ^a,^⁎ , Remko Kockelkoren ^b, Jill B. De Vis ^b, Jan Willem Dankbaar ^b, Birgitta K. Velthuis ^b, Richard AP Takx ^b, Annemarieke De Jonghe ^c, Marielle H. Emmelot-Vonk ^a, Huiberdina L. Koek ^a, Pim A. de Jong ^b
Dutch acute stroke study investigators (DUST)
^a Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room B05.2.25, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
^b Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Room F01.503, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
^c Department of Geriatrics, Tergooi hospital, PO box 10016, 1201 DA, Hilversum, The Netherlands

^⁎Corresponding author at: Esther JM de Brouwer, University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Geriatrics, Room B05.2.25, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.Esther JM de BrouwerUniversity Medical Center UtrechtDepartment of GeriatricsRoom B05.2.25, PO Box 85500Utrecht3508 GAThe Netherlands

En prensa. Pruebas corregidas por el autor. Disponible en línea desde el Thursday 23 May 2019
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Abstract

Background and purpose

Risk factors for and meaning of basal ganglia calcifications outside Fahr syndrome are poorly understood. We aimed to assess the prevalence of basal ganglia calcifications and the association with vascular risk factors.

Materials and methods

1133 patients suspected of acute ischemic stroke from the Dutch acute stroke (DUST) study who underwent thin-slice unenhanced brain CT were analyzed. Basal ganglia calcifications were scored bilaterally as absent, mild (dot), moderate (multiple dots or single artery) and severe (confluent). Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine possible risk factors (age, gender, history of stroke, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, body mass index (BMI), renal function and family history of cardiovascular disease under 60 years) for presence of basal ganglia calcifications and ordinal regression analysis for severity of basal ganglia calcifications.

Results

Mean age was 67.4 years (SD: 13.8), 56.8% were male. 337 (29.7%) patients had basal ganglia calcifications, of which 196 (58%) were mild, 103 (31%) moderate, 38 (11%) severe. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age (OR: 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03, P < 0.01) and BMI (OR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.91–0.98, p 0.01) were significantly associated with the presence of basal ganglia calcifications. Ordinal regression analysis gave comparable results. Age (OR: 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03, P < 0.01) and BMI (OR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.99, P 0.01) were significantly associated with severity of basal ganglia calcifications.

Conclusions

In this study with patients suspected of acute ischemic stroke, basal ganglia calcifications were common and significantly associated with older age and lower BMI.

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Keywords : Multidetector-row computed tomography, Basal ganglia, Risk factors