Association of brain microbleeds with risk factors, cognition, and MRI markers in MESA

Abstract

Introduction: Little is known about the epidemiology of brain microbleeds in racially/ethnically diverse populations.

Methods: In the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, brain microbleeds were identified from 3T magnetic resonance imaging susceptibility-weighted imaging sequences using deep learning models followed by radiologist review.

Results: Among 1016 participants without prior stroke (25% Black, 15% Chinese, 19% Hispanic, 41% White, mean age 72), microbleed prevalence was 20% at age 60 to 64.9 and 45% at ≥85 years. Deep microbleeds were associated with older age, hypertension, higher body mass index, and atrial fibrillation, and lobar microbleeds with male sex and atrial fibrillation. Overall, microbleeds were associated with greater white matter hyperintensity volume and lower total white matter fractional anisotropy.

Discussion: Results suggest differing associations for lobar versus deep locations. Sensitive microbleed quantification will facilitate future longitudinal studies of their potential role as an early indicator of vascular pathology.

Keywords: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis; atrial fibrillation; brain magnetic resonance imaging; brain microbleeds; cognition; deep learning; hypertension; race and ethnicity; small vessel disease; white matter fractional anisotropy; white matter hyperintensity.