AUTHOR=Lin Jing , Mao Xiaocheng , Liao Yunfang , Luo Si , Huang Qin , Song Ziwei , Li Shumeng , Li Chengjin , Qiu Yuexin , Wu Yuhang , Zhu Min , Li Xiaobing , Yu Qiulong , Hong Daojun 

TITLE=A lesion extending three or more slices as a predictor of progressive infarction in anterior circulation small subcortical infarction

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.926187

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.926187

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Progressive infarction (PI) is common in small subcortical infarction and may led to a poor outcome. The purpose of our study is to identify neuroimaging predictors for PI. From April 2017 to December 2020, we enrolled 86 patients with an anterior circulation subcortical infarction within 48 hours after onset. Progressive infarction was defined an increase of ≥1 point in motor power or ≥2 points in the total National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score within 7 days after admission and further confirmed by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). To identify predictors, demographic characteristics, clinical information, laboratory date and neuroimaging characteristics were evaluated. The infarct size and infarct slice number were measured by DWI. We found that thirty-one patients (36%) had PI. In univariate analysis, patients with PI had higher level of triglyceride, lower level of blood urea nitrogen and prothrombin time, and more frequent of infarct slice number ≥ 3 compared to patients without PI. After logistic regression stepwise adjustment for all considered relevant confounders, infarct slice number ≥ 3 slices proved to be independently associated with PI (OR=4.781, 95% CI 1.677–13.627; OR=4.867, 95% CI 1.6–14.864; OR=3.584, 95% CI 1.034–12.420). Our study showed that a lesion extending ≥ 3 slices on DWI is an independent predictor for progressive infarction in patients with anterior circulation small subcortical infarction.