title: White matter hyperintensities: age appropriate or risk indicator?
abstract: White matter hypertensity (WMH) is a term frequently seen in the MRI reports of insurance applicants. Its significance is often uncertain. There are different patterns and extent of WMH of variable clinical significance can be identified. Pathological correlates are varied with most pointing toward WMH as a reflection of small vessel ischemic burden. The predominant clinical associations are with stroke, cognitive impairment, dementia, general disability and death. This review examines the relationship of white matter hyperintensities to client morbidity, disability and mortality from an insurance medicine perspective.
authors.affiliation: Community and Residential Services, Interior Health Authority, 220-1815 Kirschner Road, Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N7. alan.stewart@interiorhealth.ca
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007352:Insurance, Life / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology