title: Irregularly shaped lacunar infarction: risk factors and clinical significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our study focused on acute lacunar infarct shapes to explore the risk factors and clinical significance of irregularly shaped lacunar infarctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the shape of their acute lacunar infarct, patients (n=204) were classified into the "regular" group or "irregular" group. The characteristics of the lacunar infarction were compared between the regular and irregular groups, between patients with and without neurological deterioration, and between patients with different modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores. The risk factors for irregularly shaped lacunar infarctions, neurological deterioration, and high mRS scores were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood pressure variability (BPV) was an independent risk factor for irregularly shaped lacunar infarction. Infarction size, prevalence of advanced leukoaraiosis, and irregularly shaped lacunar infarcts were independent risk factors for higher mRS scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The irregularly shaped lacunar infarcts were correlated with BPV. Irregularly shaped lacunar infarctions and leukoaraiosis may be associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Xue-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D059409:Stroke, Lacunar / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*