Objectives: We sought to examine the validity of the total small-vessel disease (SVD) score in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis by investigating its predictive value for recurrent stroke.
Methods: We identified 159 patients who showed acute ischemic stroke while receiving maintenance hemodialysis at our institute between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2020; retrospectively calculated the total SVD score for each patient; and extracted data on demographic factors and comorbidities that could potentially affect recurrent stroke. Death was thought to be a potential competing risk for recurrent stroke because the perceived risk of death was considerably higher than the risk of recurrent stroke in these patients. Thus, we investigated the association between the total SVD score and recurrent stroke by analyzing the competing risk of non-stroke death.
Results: The median (interquartile range) age was 72 (62-80) years. A total of 38 (23.9%) recurrent strokes occurred, and 69 (43.4%) patients died during the 505 patient-year follow-up study. The estimated cumulative incidence of recurrent stroke at five years was 13.3%, 13.4%, 24.1%, 50%, and 60% for scores of 0 to 4, respectively, and the hazard ratio (HR), adjusted for variables that had been reported to be risk factors of stroke in dialysis patients, per unit increase in the score was 1.72 (95% CI, 1.34-2.21; p<0.001).
Conclusion: A higher total SVD score was associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.
Keywords: Cerebral small-vessel disease; Dialysis; End-stage renal disease; Stroke.
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