Key result
AFib linked to more non-lacunar infarcts and severe periventricular white matter disease versus atherosclerosis.
Why the study?
Both AF and atherosclerosis predispose to vascular brain lesions, but direct comparisons of brain lesion patterns between these two cardiovascular patient groups are lacking.
Does atrial fibrillation cause a different pattern of vascular brain lesions on MRI compared to atherosclerosis?
Observational
Yes
Does atrial fibrillation cause a different pattern of vascular brain lesions on MRI compared to atherosclerosis?
Atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis produce distinct patterns of vascular brain lesions on MRI, supporting disease-specific mechanisms of cerebral damage.
Background and aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atherosclerosis pre-dispose to the occurrence of vascular brain lesions compared with the general population, yet direct comparisons of brain lesion patterns between these two cardiovascular patient groups are lacking. This study sought to compare the prevalence and distribution of vascular brain lesions on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between patients with AF and those with atherosclerosis. Methods: Baseline clinical data and standardized brain MRI scans from the Swiss Atrial Fibrillation cohort study (Swiss-AF; representing patients with AF) and the COMPASS MRI sub-study (COMPASS MIND; representing patients with atherosclerosis without AF) were used to compare the prevalence of lacunar and non-lacunar infarcts, periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and cerebral micro-bleeds (CMB) between groups. Conclusions: Patients with AF had a higher rate of non-lacunar infarcts, multi-infarct patterns and more severe periventricular white matter disease compared with patients with atherosclerosis. These findings support disease-specific mechanisms in the development of vascular brain lesions in patients with cardiovascular disease.
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Stegmann et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis. Atrial fibrillation vs. Atherosclerosis without atrial fibrillation was evaluated on Prevalence of lacunar and non-lacunar infarcts, periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities, and cerebral micro-bleeds. Atrial fibrillation was associated with a higher rate of non-lacunar infarcts, multi-infarct patterns, and more severe periventricular white matter disease compared with atherosclerosis.
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