The relationship between leukoaraiosis volume and parameters of carotid artery duplex ultrasonographic scanning in asymptomatic diabetic patients

The significance of asymptomatic leukoaraiosis is unknown although cerebral microangiopathy is regarded as its pathology. To confirm the relationship between leukoaraiosis and cerebral microangiopathy, the pulsatility index (PI) at the cervical internal carotid artery (CA) which has been proposed as an indicator of microangiopathy, was evaluated in relation to leukoaraiosis. With 122 asymptomatic diabetic patients, leukoaraiosis volume was calculated with magnetic resonance imaging and its correlation with age, microalbuminuria and parameters of extracranial CA duplex ultrasonographic scanning were analyzed. The leukoaraiosis volume correlated with PI on the right side (p = 0.027), and intima-media thickness on the left (p = 0.017). However multivariate analysis indicated that age alone was a significant independent factor, positively correlating with leukoaraiosis volume on both sides (p < 0.0001 on both sides). The underlying pathology of leukoaraiosis should be multifactorial. Further exploration is necessary to distinguish “ischemic” and “non-ischemic” leukoaraiosis.