Open AccessCerebral Perfusion is Associated With White Matter Hyperintensities in Older Adults With Heart Failure
Author(s) -
Alosco Michael L.,
Brickman Adam M.,
Spitznagel Mary Beth,
Garcia Sarah L.,
Narkhede Atul,
Griffith Erica Y,
Raz Naftali,
Cohen Ronald,
Sweet Lawrence H.,
Colbert Lisa H.,
Josephson Richard,
Hughes Joel,
Rosneck Jim,
Gunstad John
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
congestive heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1751-7133
pISSN - 1527-5299
DOI - 10.1111/chf.12025
Subject(s) - medicine , hyperintensity , cardiology , cerebral blood flow , heart failure , cerebral perfusion pressure , perfusion , middle cerebral artery , transcranial doppler , magnetic resonance imaging , prospective cohort study , white matter , radiology , ischemia
Cognitive impairment is common in heart failure ( HF ) and believed to be the result of cerebral hypoperfusion and subsequent brain changes including white matter hyperintensities ( WMHs ). The current study examined the association between cerebral blood flow and WMHs in patients with HF and the relationship between WMHs and cognitive impairment. Sixty‐nine patients with HF completed the Mini‐Mental State Examination ( MMSE ) and underwent echocardiography, transcranial Doppler sonography for cerebral blood flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Multivariable hierarchical regression analyses controlling for medical and demographic characteristics as well as intracranial volume showed reduced cerebral blood flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery was associated with greater WMHs (β=−0.34, P =.02). Follow‐up regression analyses adjusting for the same medical and demographic factors in addition to cerebral perfusion also revealed marginal significance between increased WMHs and poorer performance on the MMSE (β=−0.26, P =.05). This study suggests that reduced cerebral perfusion is associated with greater WMHs in older adults with HF . These findings support the widely proposed mechanism of cognitive impairment in HF patients and prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.