Abstract
Background: Silent brain infarctions are considered as a preclinical warning of symptomatic strokes and multiple deep infarct-relatedbrain damage.Limitation of studies on risk factors and non-specific neurological symptoms in the Indian population led to the formulation of the present study.
Aim: To evaluate the presence of silent brain infarctions in patients with non-specific neurological symptoms and association with cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2010, including patients with non-specific neurological symptoms (n = 51). General and neurological assessment with Mini-Mental Scale Examination were conducted after recording the demographic data, body mass index, and cardiovascular risk factors. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed with repetition time of 4500 ms and echo time of 116 ms. Scans were processed with double-blind method. Particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay technique was performed for assessing high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
Results: The major non-specific neurological symptoms were headache (54.90%), dizziness (23.53%),and vertigo (25.49%). Out of 51 patients, 29.41% were diagnosed with silent brain infarction. Cortical (26.6%) and sub cortical (73.4%) nature of infarction was recorded. The association of risk factors with silent brain infarction was not significant.
Conclusion: Patients with non-specific neurological symptoms should be examined for silent brain infarction. Follow-up study can be conducted with large sample size to evaluate the association of the risk factors with infarction and stroke.
Keywords: Silent brain infarction; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; MRI.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Prakash Babaliche
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College,
Nehru Nagar, Belgaum 590010, Karnataka. India
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel: +919343635679
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i1.130
