title: Predictors of progression in patients presenting with minor subcortical stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early neurological worsening is common in minor subcortical strokes (SS) and may lead to a poor outcome. We aimed to describe clinical and imaging features associated with progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with SS were divided into progressive and non-progressive. Progression was defined as an increase of NIHSS motor score ≥ 1 point within 72 h from onset. Vascular risk factors and imaging features (vascular territory, size and number of slices in which the lesion was visible, the presence of leukoaraiosis) were compared in the two groups. We investigated potential independent determinants of progression using stepwise logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty of 94 patients (31.9%) underwent progression. The distribution of vascular risk factors did not differ significantly between the two groups. Increasing number of risk factors was associated with a higher risk of progression (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.5). Patients who progressed were more likely to have a lesion ≥ 15 mm in diameter (P = 0.004) or a lesion visible ≥ 3 slices (P = 0.007). After logistic regression stepwise adjustment for all the considered potential determinants, diameter ≥ 15 mm and severe leukoaraiosis proved to be independently associated with neurological worsening (OR = 6.3, 95% CI 2.0-19.6 and OR = 5.9, 95% CI 1.3-25.7, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a series of consecutive SS, early neurological worsening was associated with a high vascular risk profile, a larger infarct size and the presence of severe leukoaraiosis. Based on the knowledge that extensive microvascular changes are a feature of severe leukoaraiosis, we hypothesize that stroke progression could be promoted through an impaired compensatory flow in the penumbral area.
authors: NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nannoni
authors: NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Del Bene
authors: Stroke Unit and Neurology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Palumbo
authors: NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Petrone
authors: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Sottile
authors: NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Pracucci
authors: NEUROFARBA Department, Neuroscience Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Inzitari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049292:Leukoaraiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: ischemic stroke; leukoaraiosis; stroke progression; subcortical stroke; vascular risk factors