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Severity of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces is associated with age, blood pressure, and MRI markers of small vessel disease: a population-based study
Zhu YC, Tzourio C, Soumaré A, Mazoyer B, Dufouil C, Chabriat H.. Stroke, 2010-09-23
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background and purpose Little is known about the risk factors of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces (dVRS) and their relation with other markers of brain small vessel disease. We investigated both issues in a large population-based sample of elderly individuals. Methods Severity of dVRS was semiquantitatively graded in both white matter and basal ganglia using high-resolution 3-dimensional MRI images taken from 1818 stroke- and dementia-free subjects enrolled in the Three-City Dijon MRI study. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to model the association of cardiovascular risk factors, APOE genotype, brain atrophy, and MRI markers of small vessel disease with the degree of dVRS. Results Severity of dVRS was found to be strongly associated with age in both basal ganglia (degree 4 versus 1: OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.2) and white matter (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.9). The proportion of hypertensive subjects increased with the degrees of dVRS in both basal ganglia (P = 0.02) and white matter (P = 0.048). Men presented a higher risk of severe dVRS in basal ganglia than women, particularly degree 4 (OR, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.8 to 19.8). The degree of dVRS was associated with the volume of white matter hyperintensities and the prevalence of lacunes, but not with brain atrophy. Conclusions In this large cohort study of elderly subjects, the degree of dVRS appears independently associated with age, hypertension, volume of white matter hyperintensities, and lacunar infarctions. dVRS should be considered as another MRI marker of cerebral small vessel disease in the elderly with regional variations in their severity.
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APA 7th
Zhu, Y. C., Tzourio, C., Soumaré, A., Mazoyer, B., Dufouil, C., & Chabriat, H. (2010). Severity of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces is associated with age, blood pressure, and MRI markers of small vessel disease: a population-based study. Stroke. https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.110.591586
Vancouver
Zhu YC, Tzourio C, Soumaré A, Mazoyer B, Dufouil C, Chabriat H. Severity of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces is associated with age, blood pressure, and MRI markers of small vessel disease: a population-based study. Stroke. 2010. doi:10.1161/strokeaha.110.591586. PMID: 20864661.
BibTeX
@article{zhu2010-20864661,
author = {Zhu, Y. C. and Tzourio, C. and Soumaré, A. and Mazoyer, B. and Dufouil, C. and Chabriat, H.},
title = {{Severity of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces is associated with age, blood pressure, and MRI markers of small vessel disease: a population-based study}},
journal = {Stroke},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1161/strokeaha.110.591586},
pmid = {20864661},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.110.591586}
}
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Key findings
- Results Severity of dVRS was found to be strongly associated with age in both basal ganglia (degree 4 versus 1: OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.2) and white matter (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.9).
- Men presented a higher risk of severe dVRS in basal ganglia than women, particularly degree 4 (OR, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.8 to 19.8).
- The degree of dVRS was associated with the volume of white matter hyperintensities and the prevalence of lacunes, but not with brain atrophy.
- Conclusions In this large cohort study of elderly subjects, the degree of dVRS appears independently associated with age, hypertension, volume of white matter hyperintensities, and lacunar infarctions. dVRS should be considered as another MRI marker of cerebral small vessel disease in the elderly with regional variations in their severity.
Why it matters
In this population-based study of stroke- and dementia-free elderly people, more severe dilated Virchow-Robin spaces were associated with older age, higher blood pressure, and other MRI markers of small vessel disease. It identifies associations with brain small vessel disease markers, not a treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Stroke) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Stroke: journal h-index 455 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 335 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 18.6 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 15 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 57 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Hugues Chabriat: h-index 87 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: institution h-index 2,511 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20864661) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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