Silent stroke in patients with transient ischemic attack or minor ischemic stroke. The Dutch TIA Trial Study Group.
OBJECTIVE
We studied silent stroke (i.e., infarcts on computed tomographic scan not related to later symptoms) in patients after transient ischemic attack or minor ischemic stroke.


METHODS
Ours is a cross-sectional study of 2,329 patients who were randomized in a secondary prevention trial after transient ischemic attack or minor ischemic stroke and had no residual deficit after the qualifying event.


RESULTS
Silent stroke was observed in 13% of the 2,329 patients. Lacunes formed 79%, cortical lesions 14%, and border zone lesions 7% of all silent strokes. Silent lacunes were most often located in the basal ganglia and symptomatic lacunes most often in the corona radiata. Age, hypertension, and current cigarette smoking were related to the presence of silent stroke. Silent stroke was equally common in different types of transient ischemic attack, including transient monocular blindness. Residual symptoms of any kind were more common in patients with silent stroke than in those without.


CONCLUSIONS
Because only the sites of silent stroke infarcts differed slightly from those of symptomatic infarcts and the frequency of vascular risk factors was similar to that of symptomatic infarcts, silent stroke may have the same bearing on future risk as known prior stroke.
Herderscheê
D
D
Department of Neurology, Academisch Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hijdra
A
A
Algra
A
A
Koudstaal
P J
PJ
Kappelle
L J
LJ
van Gijn
J
J
D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed