OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of serum folate level with the severity of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMB).

METHODSClinical data of WMH patients from the second affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University school of Medicine during July 2011 and February 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. According to Fazekas score based on T2-Flair images, patients were classified into mild WMH (0-3) and severe WMH (4-6). The presence of CMB was assessed on susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). Binary logistic analysis was conducted to identify the independent predictors for severe WMH and the presence of CMB.

RESULTSTwo hundred and twenty eight patients with WMH were included, among whom 149(65.35%)had severe WMH. In patients with high folate (≥ 15.68 nmol/L), low folate (6.8-15.67 nmol/L) and folate deficiency (<6.8 nmol/L), the proportions of severe WMH were 52.88%, 73.33% and 89.47%, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with high folate group, severe WMH was more common in groups with low folate (=2.109, 95%:1.112-4.001,<0.05) and folate deficiency (=6.383, 95%:1.168-34.866,<0.05). Eighty-eight(48.09%) of 183 patients receiving SWI scan presented with CMB. Although the subjects with CMB had lower serum folate level than those without CMB(13.42 vs 16.51 nmol/L,<0.01), binary logistic regression analysis did not reveal the independent association between serum folate level and the presence of CMB after adjusting for hyperhomocysteinemia (>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLower serum folate level is independently associated with severe WMH, but not with the CMB concurrence.