Study of the positivity of spontaneous and directed diagnosis of leukoaraiosis in the elderly by cranial computerized tomography, and its correlation with cognitive deficit and cardiovascular risk factors.
To evaluate the prevalence of leukoaraiosis (LA) and its correlation with vascular risk factors and the cognitive performance of elderly patients.



78 patients were randomly selected and submitted to clinic-laboratorial evaluation for vascular risk factors. Two cognitive tests were performed. All patients were submitted to cranial computerized tomography (CT), which was analyzed in two situations: the spontaneous and the directed way.



There was no statistically significant difference between the prevalence of spontaneous and the directed diagnoses of LA (20.5 and 18%, respectively). The presence of LA was not significantly correlated with cognitive impairment. Only age was positively associated with LA.



Cranial CT is a trustworthy method for the diagnosis of LA. Only age showed a positive association. No clinical implications were found, concerning the cognitive performance of the patients.
Ventura
Mauricio de Miranda
Mde M
Médico do Serviço de Geriatria, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual Francisco Morato de Oliveira, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Melo
Antonio Carlos de Paiva
AC
Carrete
Henrique
H
Botelho
Ricardo Vieira
RV
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed