title: The association between leukoaraiosis and carotid atherosclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: The association between large-artery atherosclerosis and leukoaraiosis (LA) has been increasingly reported with inconsistent conclusion. This systematic review examines the relationship between LA and carotid atherosclerosis, manifested as atherosclerotic stenosis, plaques and increased intima-media thickness (IMT). PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for articles published up to February 2014. Thirty-two studies that examined the relationship between LA and carotid atherosclerosis were included. All statistical analysis was conducted with Review Manager 5.2.4. Finally, 32 studies including 17,721 patients were identified. There were 7 (30%) out of 23 studies reporting significant association between LA and carotid stenosis; 11 (79%) out of 14 studies reporting significant association between LA and carotid plaque; all 9 studies reporting significant association between LA and carotid IMT; one study showing an association between LA and CAWT (similar to the role of the IMT). The quantitative meta-analysis of 10 studies showed that carotid atherosclerosis was not associated with LA (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.61-1.98). A significant association was found between LA and carotid plaque (OR = 3.53; 95% CI = 1.83-6.79), and the result of IMT group showed that IMT increased risk of LA (MD = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.01-0.22). This systematic review suggested that LA has a tendency of association with carotid plaques but no association with simple carotid stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shao-Qiong
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Jing-Cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bing-Hu
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chang-Yue
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D039781:PubMed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Carotid atherosclerosis; carotid intima-media thickness; carotid stenosis; leukoaraiosis