Cerebral white matter hyperintensity is mainly associated with hypertension among the components of metabolic syndrome in Koreans.
BACKGROUND
Cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a common abnormality in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and is known to be associated with ischaemic stroke. Previous studies revealed that the risk factors for cerebral WMH were age, female gender, hypertension and diabetes. In this study we examined the association between cerebral WMH and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of hypertension, glucose intolerance, abdominal obesity and dyslipidaemia.


RESULTS
We reviewed the results of brain MRI of 5498 subjects who underwent routine check-ups including laboratory tests at the Seoul National University Health Care System. Among the subjects who met the inclusion criteria (n = 5104), 1693 (33.2%) had cerebral WMH. They were characterized by old age, female predominance, higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, higher blood pressure, higher fasting plasma glucose level, and higher haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). In multivariate analyses, age, female gender and hypertension were the independent risk factors for cerebral WMH. Metabolic syndrome was associated with cerebral WMH after adjusting for age and gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.39, P = 0.014]. Among the components of metabolic syndrome, hypertension was independently associated with cerebral WMH (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.38, P = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
Age, female gender and hypertension were risk factors for cerebral WMH in the Korean population. Cerebral WMH was also associated with metabolic syndrome; however, metabolic syndrome offered no advantage over hypertension alone in predicting cerebral WMH.
Choi
Hoon Sung
HS
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Chongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
Cho
Young Min
YM
Kang
Jin Hwa
JH
Shin
Chan Soo
CS
Park
Kyong Soo
KS
Lee
Hong Kyu
HK
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol