Cerebral Small‐Vessel Disease Markers on Magnetic Resonance Imaging as Predictors of Recurrent Vascular Events and Death in Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Systematic review demonstrates white matter hyperintensities and cerebral microbleeds predict stroke recurrence in ischemic stroke patients, suggesting enhanced risk assessment strategies.
Key Points
WMHs significantly predict stroke recurrence and all-cause death with a hazard ratio of 1.72, highlighting their importance in patient prognosis.
CMBs are linked to an increased risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio 1.88) and cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1.45), stressing their prognostic value.
Analysis of 50 longitudinal studies revealed that both WMHs and CMBs' burden further refines risk assessment in patients following ischemic stroke.
This meta-analysis indicates that integrating WMH and CMB data can enhance post-stroke risk assessments and clinical decision-making.