title: Different distribution patterns of cerebral microbleeds in acute ischemic stroke patients with and without hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) were found in patients with and without hypertension. We aimed to investigate different distribution patterns of CMBs in patients with and without hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined acute ischemic stroke patients using a standardized MRI protocol that included T(1), T(2) and gradient-echo T(2)*. Clinical and imaging characteristics were collected from all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 998 patients, CMBs were detected in 273 patients (27.3%). Of these, 62 did not have hypertension (22.7%). The incidence of CMBs among patients without hypertension (62/335, 18.5%) was lower than among those with hypertension (211/663, 31.8%; p < 0.01). The location of CMBs in patients without hypertension was limited to the cortical-subcortical (CSC) region in 40.3% (25/62) compared to 20.4% of those with hypertension (43/211; p = 0.01). No significant difference was found between CMB locations within the intra-CSC region in both groups. The severity of white matter changes and systolic blood pressure on admission were found to be independent predictors for CMBs in patients without hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CMBs in patients with and without hypertension have different distribution patterns and may have a different pathogenesis. Blood pressure controlling is important in both groups because systolic blood pressure is an independent predictor of CMBs in patients without hypertension.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yannie Oi Yan
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Soo
authors.forename: Wynnie Wai Man
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Ka Sing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jin Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yu Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D018579:Patient Selection; D012044:Regression Analysis