Relationship of cognitive function with severity of periventricular leukoaraiosis in elderly patients with hypertension
  
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DOI:10.3724/SP.J.1264.2013.00165
Key words:cognition disorders  hypertension  leukoaraiosis
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
BAI Jie, TUO Xi-Ping* (Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China) E-mail: xptuo_01@126.com 
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Abstract:
      Objective To investigate the relationship of cognitive function and the severity of periventricular leukoaraiosis (LA) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the elderly suffering from hypertension. Methods A total of 90 veteran cadres (≥60 years old) living in Shanghai city were subjected in this study, and were equally divided into 3 groups: Group A (normotension and normal cognitive function), Group B (hypertension and normal cognitive function), and group C(hypertension and impaired cognitive function). All subjects in the 3 groups were matched one to one, according to the following factors: age, gender, nationality, place of residence, years of education, and with type 2 diabetes or not. All subjects were assessed by the questionnaires of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) for the prevalence rate of cognitive function impairment. Head MRI were operated in these patients, and 2 experienced physicians scored the periventricular white matter lesion in separated workstations independently. The correlation of the LA scores was analyzed with hypertension and cognitive function impairment. Results There were significant differences in the periventricular LA score among the 3 groups (Chi square=-26.874, P<0.001). Pairwise comparison showed that significant differences were also found in the score between 2 of these groups, that is, between Group A and Group B (Chi square=-10.506, P=0.033), Group B and Group C(Chi square=-10.029, P=0.040), and Group A and Group C (Chi square=-25.112, P<0.001). LA scores were increased significantly in the elderly with hypertension and cognitive impairment. Conclusion The elderly patients with hypertension and cognitive impairment usually are manifested as LA in MRI. LA score might be considered as one of early diagnostic indications of hypertensive patients with cognitive dysfunction.
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