title: Relations of blood inflammatory marker levels with cerebral microbleeds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are observed in the elderly and have been regarded as one of the manifestations of small vessel disease. Although inflammatory processes have attracted much attention not only in large-artery disease, but also in small vessel disease, their involvement in CMB remains to be determined. The purpose of this study is to clarify relations between inflammatory marker levels and CMB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred thirty-one patients without histories of cerebrovascular diseases were prospectively enrolled. The presence and number of CMB were assessed on gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging. As common inflammatory markers, serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CMB were found in 65 patients (15%). In 35 patients, at least one CMB was found in deep locations, but 30 patients had strictly lobar CMB. Levels of hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-18 were higher in patients with CMB than in those without. Logistic regression analyses showed that each 1SD increase in each inflammatory marker level was significantly associated with the presence of CMB after adjustment for age and sex, and after additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, silent lacunar infarction, and white matter hyperintensity. The OR (95% CI) of hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-18 was 1.81 (1.35-2.46), 1.73 (1.18-2.61), and 2.41 (1.44-4.52), respectively. Furthermore, the inflammatory marker levels were associated with both deep and lobar CMB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher levels of hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-18 are associated with CMB, in both deep and lobar locations, suggesting the involvement of inflammation in CMB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. miwa@osaka-njm.net
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Shigetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furukado
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators