Objective: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) infarct patterns can play a useful role in the management of ischemic stroke patients, particularly in identifying index stroke mechanisms. Novel vascular risk factors like high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the metabolic syndrome have recently been shown to be of prognostic importance following ischemic stroke. We aimed to determine the relationship between these novel factors and infarct patterns noted on DWI.
Methods: A total of 886 patients with acute cerebral infarcts within the MCA territory were prospectively studied. Using the DWI data the patients were divided into four groups: cortical, small (<1cm) superficial, border-zone, and deep infarcts patterns. The independent associations of various infarct DWI patterns vs. hs-CRP and presence of the metabolic syndrome were evaluated after adjusting for the confounders.
Results: hs-CRP was highest among patients with cortical infarcts, while the metabolic syndrome was most frequent in patients with border-zone infarcts. Compared to the lowest quartile of hs-CRP level, those in the highest quartile were more likely to have the cortical pattern (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.92-6.56; P<0.001), and less likely to have the deep infarct pattern (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.29-0.81; P=0.006) in logistic regression analyses. There was an independent association between presence of the metabolic syndrome and the border-zone pattern (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.12-2.73; P=0.013).
Conclusions: hs-CRP levels and metabolic derangements are independently associated with infarct pattern in acute ischemic stroke, and may be the potential targets for lessening the clinical impact of certain infarct patterns.