Metabolic syndrome (METS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) were significant comorbid conditions in lacunar stroke patients and they were associated with stroke recurrence, according to a study of 3,020 patients with lacunar strokes. Researchers found:
• 25% of patients had METS only, 6% had DM only, 32% had both conditions, and 37% had neither.
• Over a median 3.8 years of follow-up, there were 274 recurrent strokes and 74 myocardial infarctions (MIs).
• Among 240 recurrent ischemic strokes, 56% were lacunar.
• The hazard ratios for any recurrent stroke (HR=1.7) or lacunar stroke (HR=2.4) were significantly higher for those with concurrent METS and DM vs those who had neither.
• Risk of incident MI was higher in patients with DM (HR=2.8) or concurrent DM and METS (HR=2.6).
Citation: Zhu S, McClure LA, Lau H, et al. Recurrent vascular events in lacunar stroke patients with metabolic syndrome and/or diabetes. [Published online ahead of print August 21, 2015]. Neurology. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000001933.