Apolipoprotein E ɛ2 Is Associated with the White Matter Hyperintensity Multispot Pattern in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Abstract

The white matter hyperintensity (WMH) multispot pattern, as multiple punctate subcortical foci, could differentiate cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) from hypertensive arteriolopathy. Nevertheless, the pathophysiology underlying the multispot sign is still inexplicit. We aimed to explore risk factors for multispot patterns in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD)-related intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Between June 2018 and January 2020, we retrospectively rated the WMH multispot pattern while blinded to our prospective spontaneous ICH cohort's clinical data. Demographic, genetic, and neuroimaging characteristics were applied in establishing the multispot pattern models via multiple logistic regression. In total, 268 participants were selected from our cohort. The possession of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε2 (P = 0.051) was associated with multispot WMH in univariate analysis. Multispot WMHs were accompanied by multiple CAA features, such as centrum semiovale (CSO)-perivascular space (PVS) predominance (P = 0.032) and severe CSO-PVS (P < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, APOE ε2 possession (OR 2.99, 95% CI [1.07, 8.40]; P = 0.037), severe CSO-PVS (OR 2.39, 95% CI [1.09, 5.26]; P = 0.031), and large posterior subcortical patches (P = 0.001) were independently correlated with the multispot pattern in multivariate analysis. Moreover, APOE ε2 possession (OR 4.34, 95% CI [1.20, 15.62]; P = 0.025) and severe CSO-PVS (OR 3.39, 95% CI [1.23, 9.34]; P = 0.018) remained statistically significant among the participants older than 55 years of age and with categorizable CSVD. APOE ε2 and severe CSO-PVS contribute to the presence of WMH multispot patterns. Because the multispot pattern is a potential diagnostic biomarker in CAA, genetics-driven effects shed light on its underlying vasculopathy. Clinical Trial Registration: URL- http://www.chictr.org.cn . Unique identifier: ChiCTR-ROC-2000039365. Registration date 2020/10/24 (retrospectively registered).

Keywords: Apolipoprotein E; Cerebral amyloid angiopathy; Intracerebral hemorrhage; Multispot pattern; White matter hyperintensity.