White Matter Hyperintensities Relate to Clinical Progression in Subjective Cognitive Decline.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In patients with subjective cognitive decline, we assessed whether small vessel disease was associated with clinical progression and cognitive decline. METHODS We included 334 patients with subjective cognitive decline. Follow-up was 3±2 years. RESULTS Fifty-three (16%) patients progressed clinically to mild cognitive impairment or dementia. White matter hyperintensities were associated with clinical progression and with annual decline on memory, attention, executive functioning, and global cognition. Microbleeds and lacunes were not associated with clinical progression or cognitive decline. CONCLUSIONS In patients with subjective cognitive decline, patients with white matter hyperintensities are at increased risk of clinical progression and cognitive decline.