SILENT BRAIN INFARCTION IN STROKE PATIENTS: A PILOT DOUBLE-CENTER STUDY

Silent Brain Infarcts (SBI) are associated with an increased risk of subsequent stroke. SBI are incidentally revealed by CT or MRI executed in stroke patients. A prospective study was undertaken involving 200 consecutive patients aged >45 years with brain infarct admitted in University of Alberta Hospital, Canada (100 patients) and Valie-Asr Hospital, Iran (100 patients) in 2003. Patients were divided in age groups aged 65. All of the patients underwent brain CT. A stroke neurologist with knowledge of stroke history subsequently reviewed the scans and diagnosed SBI. The relations of race, gender and age groups with SBI were analyzed with chi-square and Fisher exact tests. SBr were present in 26.9% of patients aged 65. Canadian patients were significantly more preponderant to SBI in age group> 65 (p= 0.013). The mean age of Canadian patients was significantly higher than Persians (p<0.001). Within a total of 200 patients the female gender was significantly more preponderant to SBr (p= 0.02) which was not related to age and race groups. Small vessel territory infarct was present in 87 % of our patients with SBI. SBr are cornmon in stroke patients. The frequency of SBI is higher in female gender and the elderly.