Stroke and pineal gland calcification: Lack of association. Results from a population-based study (The Atahualpa Project)

•A previous study suggested an association between pineal gland calcification and stroke.•We evaluated this association using a population-based cross-sectional study design.•There is no relationship between both conditions at the population level.

ObjectiveIt has been suggested that pineal gland calcifications (PGC) represent a risk factor for stroke; however, information comes from a single retrospective hospital-based registry. We aimed to validate this association in a population-based study conducted in rural Ecuador.MethodsAtahualpa residents aged ≥60 years were identified during a door-to-door survey and invited to undergo neuroimaging studies (CT/MRI) for identification and rating PGC and lesions consistent with cerebral infarcts and hemorrhages. Cardiovascular health (CVH) status was assessed according to the American Heart Association criteria, and clinical strokes were identified by the use of a validated field instrument and confirmed by neurologists.ResultsOut of 248 participants (mean age 70 ± 8 years, 59% women, 73% with poor CVH), 137 (55%) had PGC and 39 (16%) had strokes (silent in 28 cases). PGC were noted in 61% versus 54% persons with and without stroke, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex and cardiovascular health, logistic and ordinal logistic regression models showed no association between any evidence (p = 0.916) or severity (p = 0.740) of PGC and stroke.ConclusionPGC is not associated with stroke in this population of community-dwelling elders, where prevalence of PGC and stroke are similar to those found in other regions.