Progress of leukoaraiosis is inhibited by correction of platelet hyper-aggregability.
BACKGROUND
Platelet hyper-aggregability is an important risk factor for leukoaraiosis. In this study we investigated whether aggravation of leukoaraiosis can be controlled by means of long-term correction of platelet hyper-aggregability.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with leukoaraiosis and uncorrected platelet hyper-aggregability were compared with 21 controls matched for age, grade of leukoaraiosis and observation period whose platelet hyper-aggregability was corrected. Platelet aggregability was estimated by an optical analytical method with a nine-stage display using two different concentrations each of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen (the double ADP method).


RESULTS
The mean observation period between two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for both groups was 4.1 years. In the non-corrected group, moderate to severe aggravation of leukoaraiosis was observed in a large number of patients. In the corrected group, only a small number of patients showed generally mild aggravation of leukoaraiosis. The number of patients showing aggravation of periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) was 7 in 21 in the non-corrected group versus 1 in 21 (p = 0.022) in the corrected group, and for aggravation of deep white-matter hyperintensity, these values were 9 in 21 versus 4 in 21, respectively. Thus, the difference was more significant if the degree of aggravation was taken into account.


CONCLUSIONS
The progress of leukoaraiosis is greatly inhibited by long-term correction of platelet hyper-aggregability.
Fujita
Shigekiyo
S
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Hyogo Brain and Heart Center at Himeji and Institute for Advanced Neurological Medicine and Computed Imaging, Ishikawa Hospital, Himeji, Japan. fujitas@oak.ocn.ne.jp
Kawaguchi
Tetsuro
T
Uehara
Toshiyuki
T
Fukushima
Kazuhito
K
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin