White matter hyperintensity shape is associated with long‐term dementia risk

Alzheimer s & Dementia, vol. 19, pp. 5632–5641

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the association between white matter hyperintensity (WMH) shape and volume and the long-term dementia risk in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Three thousand seventy-seven participants (mean age: 75.6 ± 5.2 years) of the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik study underwent baseline 1.5T brain magnetic resonance imaging and were followed up for dementia (mean follow-up: 9.9 ± 2.6 years). RESULTS: More irregular shape of periventricular/confluent WMH (lower solidity (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.34 (1.17 to 1.52), p < .001) and convexity 1.38 (1.28 to 1.49), p < .001); higher concavity index 1.43 (1.32 to 1.54), p < .001) and fractal dimension 1.45 (1.32 to 1.58), p < .001)), higher total WMH volume (1.68 (1.54 to 1.87), p < .001), higher periventricular/confluent WMH volume (1.71 (1.55 to 1.89), p < .001), and higher deep WMH volume (1.17 (1.08 to 1.27), p < .001) were associated with an increased long-term dementia risk. DISCUSSION: WMH shape markers may in the future be useful in determining patient prognosis and may aid in patient selection for future preventive treatments in community-dwelling older adults.

Authors 9

1. Jasmin Annica Keller corresponding Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

2. Sigurdur Oli Sigurdsson

   Icelandic Heart Association

   Affiliation as printed

   Icelandic Heart Association Kopavogur Iceland

   Icelandic Heart Association, Kopavogur, Iceland

3. Kelly Klaassen Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

4. Lydiane Hirschler Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

5. Mark A. van Buchem Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

6. Lenore J. Launer

   National Institutes of Health · National Institute on Aging

   Affiliation as printed

   Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Science National Institute on Aging Bethesda Maryland USA

   Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Science, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

7. Matthias J.P. van Osch Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

8. Vilmundur G. Gudnason

   University of Iceland · Icelandic Heart Association

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Medicine University of Iceland Reykjavik Iceland

   Icelandic Heart Association Kopavogur Iceland

   Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

   Icelandic Heart Association, Kopavogur, Iceland

9. Jeroen de Bresser Aachen Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology C.J. Gorter MRI Center Leiden University Medical Center Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands