Objective:To investigate the association of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) with long-term stroke recurrence in patients with recent subcortical small infarcts (RSSIs).Methods:Consecutive patients admitted to the Department of Neurology, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University between January 2019 and August 2022 and met the clinical and imaging manifestations of RSSIs were collected. The demographic characteristics, baseline clinical data, and MRI features were collected. Using stroke recurrence as the endpoint event, the recurrence time was recorded, and Cox regression model was used to analyze relevant factors affecting stroke recurrence in patients with RSSIs.Results:A total of 202 patients were enrolled, including 138 males (68.3%), aged 67.9±10.5 years. Seventy-seven patients (38.1%) were mild WMHs, 64 (31.7%) were moderate WMHs, and 61 (30.2%) were severe WMHs. There were statistically significant differences in age, history of stroke, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, total cholesterol, infarct thickness, and infarct distribution among different WMHs severity groups (all P<0.05). The median follow-up time was 40.5 months (interquartile range, 27.7-49.0 months), and a total of 55 patients (27.2%) had stroke recurrence (ischemic stroke 54, occipital hemorrhage 1). Recurrence rates of stroke in the mild, moderate, and severe WMHs groups were 18.2%, 31.3%, and 34.4%, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed that WMHs were an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence (compared to the mild group, the risk ratio of the severe group was 2.225, 95% confidence interval was 1.116-4.436; P=0.023). Conclusion:The risk of long-term stroke recurrence in patients with RSSI is associated with the severity of WMHs.

Because the brain and kidneys share a common basis for small vessel lesions, the related research on cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is gradually increasing. The development of neuroimaging technology has significantly increased the detection rate of CMBs, but there is still controversy over whether CKD will increase the incidence of CMBs. This article reviews the relationship between CKD and CMBs, pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) vascular hyperintensity (FVH) and clinical outcome in patients with middle cerebral artery M1 occlusive stroke.Methods:Patients with acute middle cerebral artery M1 occlusive stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2018 to September 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. The demographic and clinical data were collected. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and FVH score were performed with MRI images. The modified Rankin Scale (MRS) was used to evaluate the clinical outcome at 90 d after onset. 0-2 was defined as good outcome, and >2 was defined as poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent correlation between FVH and the outcome. Results:A total of 65 patients with acute middle cerebral artery M1 occlusive stroke were enrolled, including 37 males (56.9%). Their age was 64.35±12.13 years. Twenty-nine patients (44.6%) had a good outcome, and 36 (55.4%) had a poor outcome. There were significant differences in triglyceride ( P=0.037), antihypertensive drug treatment ( P=0.037), baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ( P<0.001), DWI-ASPECTS ( P=0.017) and FVH score ( P<0.001) between the poor outcome group and the good outcome group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FVH score (odds ratio 6.477, 95% confidence interval 1.570-26.716; P=0.010) and NIHSS score (odds ratio 1.869, 95% confidence interval 1.326-2.635; P<0.001) were significantly independently correlated with the poor outcome. However, there was no significant independent correlation between DWI-ASPECTS and the outcome (odds ratio 0.451, 95% confidence interval 0.068-2.988; P=0.410). Conclusions:FVH score is an independent risk factor for poor outcome in patients with acute middle cerebral artery M1 occlusive stroke.

Intraocular silicone oil injection is a common method for treating retinal detachment. Cataracts, increased intraocular pressure, corneal lesions, and silicone oil emulsification are relatively common complications of intraocular silicone oil tamponade. The migration of silicone oil from the vitreous body into the ventricles along the optic nerve is extremely rare, which is easily misdiagnosed as intraventricular hemorrhage, and colloidal cyst. This paper reviews the overview, migration pathway, clinical characteristics, imaging features, treatment and outcomes of silicone oil migration into the ventricular system in order to improve the understanding of this phenomenon among clinical colleagues.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between basilar artery (BA) dolichosis and clinical outcome of patients with acute isolated pontine infarction.Methods:Consecutive patients with acute isolated pontine infarction within 7 d after onset admitted to the Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Hefei Hospital of Anhui Medical University were enrolled. The demographic, clinical and MRI data were collected. The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the clinical outcome at 3 months after the onset. 0-2 was defined as good outcome, and >2 was defined as poor outcome. A binary multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between BA dolichosis and clinical outcome of the patients. Results:A total of 116 patients with acute isolated pontine infarction were enrolled. There were 69 (59.5%) males and 47 (40.5%) females, with a median age of 65 years (interquartile range: 57-76 years). There were 39 patients (33.6%) in BA dolichosis group and 77 (66.4%) in non-BA dolichosis group. The BA diameter ( P=0.021), theoretical length (basilar artery length, BAL) ( P<0.001), bending length (BL) ( P<0.001) and the proportion of patients with BA bending ( P<0.001) in the BA dolichosis group were significantly higher than those of the non-BA dolichosis group. There were 93 (80.2%) patients in good outcome group and 23 (19.8%) in poor outcome group. The baseline National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score ( P<0.001), approximate length of BA ( P=0.007), BAL ( P=0.020), BL ( P=0.005) and the proportion of patients with BA dolichosis ( P=0.002) and bending ( P=0.008) in the poor outcome group were significantly higher than those in the good outcome group. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the approximate length of BA was significantly positively correlated with BL ( r=0.597, P<0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BA dolichosis (odds ratio 5.441, 95% confidence interval 1.814-16.320; P=0.003) and the higher baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio 1.696, 95% confidence interval 1.291-2.228; P<0.001) were the independent risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with acute isolated pontine infarction. Conclusion:BA dolichosis is common in patients with acute isolated pontine infarction. BA dolichosis may be an independent risk factor for poor outcome in patients with acute isolated pontine infarction at 3 months after onset.

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a tool that uses the intrinsic nature of local magnetic fields to enhance image contrast in order to improve the visibility of various susceptibility sources. SWI has blood oxygen levels dependent effect and is sensitive to the change of the cerebral oxygen saturation. This imaging method is applied to various diseases with abnormal deoxyhemoglobin concentration, such as ischemic stroke and cerebral arteriovenous malformation. Patients with acute ischemic stroke have elevated levels of deoxygenated hemoglobin in the affected area, so the ischemic area can show abnormal venous imaging on SWI images. SWI could recognize penumbra and guide the management of patients with acute stroke. Besides, SWI also could evaluate the severity of symptoms, predict prognosis and future surviving state. This paper reviews the research progress of the prominent hypointense vessels sign and its application in acute ischemic stroke.

Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) is a rare posterior circulation vascular variant disease.Studies have shown that VBD has an effect on the outcome of ischemic stroke.This article reviews the relationship between VBD and ischemic stroke.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic progressive steno-occlusive vasculopathy that involves terminal portions of the bilateral internal carotid arteries and/or the initial segment of the middle cerebral arteries and/or the initial segment of the anterior cerebral arteries. Ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) is considered as the major susceptibility gene of MMD.RNF213p.R4810K is mainly distributed in East Asians and is the founder variant of Asian patients with MMD.RNF213p.R4810K is associated with the incidence, prevalence, severity of illness and clinical manifestations of MMD. The biochemical mechanisms ofRNF213p.R4810K are still unclear and may affect angiogenesis of endothelial cells through both cell cycle-dependent and cell cycle-independent mechanisms. This paper reviews the research progress ofRNF213p.R4810K and the related mechanisms in MMD.

Objective To investigate the correlation between ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery laterality (PCAL) and the outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. Methods From June 2015 to December 2016, patients with acute ischemic stroke in the MCA territory admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Hefei were enrolled. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was used to assess PCAL. The outcome was evaluated by the modified Rankin scale at 3 months after onset. 0-2 was defined as good outcome and > 2 was defined as poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of clinical outcome. Results A total of 111 patients with ischemic stroke in MCA territory were enrolled, including 47 (42. 3％) PCAL and 30 (27. 0％) poor outcomes. The baseline NIHSS score in the PCAL group was significantly lower than that in the non-PCAL group (5. 13 ± 3. 29 years vs. 7. 03 ± 5. 676 years, t = 2. 058; P = 0. 042). There were significantly differences in the proportion of diabetes mellitus (29. 6％ vs. 10. 0％; χ2 = 4. 583, P = 0. 032), PCAL (51. 9％ vs. 16. 7％;χ2 = 11. 101, P = 0. 001) and smoking (25. 9％ vs. 13. 3％; χ2 = 4. 943, P = 0. 026), as well as age (63. 9 ± 11. 8 years vs. 71. 0 ± 6. 7 years; t = 2. 688, P = 0. 007), baseline diastolic blood pressure (89 ± 13 mmHg vs. 82 ± 10 mmHg; t = -2. 249, P = 0. 025; 1 mmHg = 0. 133 kPa) and baseline NIHSS score (5. 02 ± 3. 67 vs. 9. 47 ± 6. 20; t = 3. 883, P < 0. 001) between the good outcome group and the poor outcome group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PCAL was associated independently with good outcome (odds ratio [OR] 0. 272, 95％ confidence interval [CI] 0. 083-0. 888; P = 0. 031), while advanced age (OR 1. 088, 95％ CI 1. 022-1. 157; P = 0. 008) and high baseline NIHSS score (OR 1. 224, 95％ CI 1. 077-1. 391; P = 0. 002) were associated independently with poor outcome. Conclusion PCAL is associated independently with good outcome in patients with ischemic stroke in MCA territory.