Association of sleep apnea with clinically silent microvascular brain tissue changes in acute cerebral ischemia.

摘要

The aim of this study was to determine the importance of sleep apnea in relation to clinically silent microvascular brain tissue changes in patients with acute cerebral ischemia. Patients with acute cerebral ischemia prospectively underwent nocturnal respiratory polygraphy within 5?days from symptom-onset. Sleep apnea was defined as apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI) ≥5/h. Experienced readers blinded to clinical and sleep-related data reviewed brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans for leukoaraiosis and chronic lacunar infarctions. Ischemic lesions were considered clinically silent when patients did not recall associated stroke-like symptoms. Functional outcome was assessed with modified Rankin Scale at discharge, 6 and 12?months. Fifty-one of 56 (91?%) patients had sleep apnea of any degree. Patients with moderate-to-severe leukoaraiosis (Wahlund score ≥5) were found to have higher mean AHI than those with none or mild leukoaraiosis (34.4 vs. 12.8/h, p?