@article {1431, title = {Assessment of cerebrovascular disease in the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {Ann Epidemiol}, volume = {3}, year = {1993}, month = {1993 Sep}, pages = {504-7}, abstract = {

The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) is a longitudinal population-based study of coronary heart disease and stroke in men and women 65 years and older. The initial CHS cohort consisted of 5201 men and women recruited from a random sample of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Medicare eligibility lists in four communities in the United States. Extensive historical, physical, and laboratory evaluations were performed at the baseline examination in 1989 to 1990 to identify risk factors and subclinical disease. Periodic contacts are carried out to ascertain and verify incident cardiac and stroke events and their sequelae. Since only a short time has passed since entry of all the patients into the study, data are not available on time trends in the mortality rate of stroke, but we expect to contribute in this area in the years ahead. This article then is a description of the CHS, of methods of assessing stroke in the CHS cohort, and of prevalence of stroke and transient ischemic attacks at the initial examination.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Cohort Studies, Coronary Disease, Female, Humans, Ischemic Attack, Transient, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Prevalence}, issn = {1047-2797}, author = {Price, T R and Psaty, B and O{\textquoteright}Leary, D and Burke, G and Gardin, J} } @article {1460, title = {Clinical correlates of white matter findings on cranial magnetic resonance imaging of 3301 elderly people. The Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {Stroke}, volume = {27}, year = {1996}, month = {1996 Aug}, pages = {1274-82}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our aim was to identify potential risk factors for and clinical manifestations of white matter findings on cranial MRI in elderly people.

METHODS: Medicare eligibility lists were used to obtain a representative sample of 5888 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older. Correlates of white matter findings were sought among 3301 participants who underwent MRI scanning and denied a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack. Participants underwent extensive standardized evaluations at baseline and on follow-up, including standard questionnaires, physical examination, multiple blood tests, electrocardiogram, pulmonary function tests, carotid sonography, and M-mode echocardiography. Neuroradiologists graded white matter findings from 0 (none) to 9 (maximal) without clinical information.

RESULTS: Many potential risk factors were related to the white matter grade, but in the multivariate model the factors significantly (all P < .01) and independently associated with increased grade were greater age, clinically silent stroke on MRI, higher systolic blood pressure, lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and income less than $50,000 per year. If excluded, FEV1 was replaced in the model by female sex, history of smoking, and history of physician-diagnosed hypertension at the baseline examination. Many clinical features were correlated with the white matter grade, especially those indicating impaired cognitive and lower extremity function.

CONCLUSIONS: White matter findings were significantly associated with age, silent stroke, hypertension, FEV1, and income. The white matter findings may not be considered benign because they are associated with impaired cognitive and lower extremity function.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Aging, Blood Pressure, Brain, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Ischemic Attack, Transient, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Multivariate Analysis, Risk Factors, Sex Factors}, issn = {0039-2499}, author = {Longstreth, W T and Manolio, T A and Arnold, A and Burke, G L and Bryan, N and Jungreis, C A and Enright, P L and O{\textquoteright}Leary, D and Fried, L} }