Associations of Baseline Clinical Phenotypes With White Matter Hyperintensity Volume Change: A Study of 4,329 UK Biobank Participants - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #Vascular Risk Factors
- #UK Biobank
- #White Matter Hyperintensities
- White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are linked to cognitive and physical impairment and typically progress, though regression can occur.
- The study analyzed 4,329 UK Biobank participants with two brain MRIs over a median 2.3 years to explore baseline clinical phenotypes associated with WMH volume change.
- WMH volume increased overall during follow-up, with 53.9% experiencing progression, 26.01% regression, and 20% remaining stable.
- In fully adjusted linear models, only higher diastolic blood pressure was significantly associated with greater WMH progression.
- In multinomial models, hip pain lasting over 3 months and faster walking pace were inversely associated with WMH progression, while hip pain was also inversely linked to regression compared to stability.
- The findings suggest vascular factors, particularly blood pressure, influence WMH change, but results are sensitive to covariate adjustments, highlighting the need for further causal studies on WMH dynamics.