Home › Research › How common it is
Stroke risk profile predicts white matter hyperintensity volume: the Framingham Study
Jeerakathil T, Wolf PA, Beiser A, Massaro J, Seshadri S, D'Agostino RB, DeCarli C.. Stroke, 2004-06-24
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background and purpose Previous studies of cardiovascular risk factors and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on brain MRI have been limited by the failure to exclude symptomatic cerebrovascular disease and dementia or by the use of semiquantitative rather than quantitative methods to measure WMH volume (WMHV). We examined the relationship between Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP) and WMHV measured quantitatively in a stroke and dementia-free subset of the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Methods Brain MRI was performed in 1814 members of the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Pixel-based quantitative measures of WMHV corrected for head size were obtained using a semiautomated algorithm. WMHV was not normally distributed and therefore was log-transformed (LWMHV). The FSRP and its component risk factors measured a mean of 7.5 years before MRI were related to both continuous measures of LWMHV and to the presence of large volumes of LWMHV (LWMHV-large). All analyses were adjusted for age and sex. Results FSRP was strongly associated with LWMHV and LWMHV-large. Age, smoking, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiogram were all significantly related to LWMHV or LWMHV-large. Conclusions FSRP and several cardiovascular risk factors were related to both WMHV measured continuously and to a categorical designation of large volumes of WMH. These findings provide strong evidence of a vascular basis for WMH.
Key findings
- Results FSRP was strongly associated with LWMHV and LWMHV-large.
- Age, smoking, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiogram were all significantly related to LWMHV or LWMHV-large.
- These findings provide strong evidence of a vascular basis for WMH.
Why it matters
This study found that a stroke risk profile and several cardiovascular risk factors were related to white matter hyperintensity volume in people without stroke or dementia. It provides evidence of a vascular basis for these brain changes, but does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Alzheimer's in numbers →
Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / 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 | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 479 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 20.0 citations a year over 24 year(s) since 2004 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 35 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 44 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Charles S DeCarli: h-index 150 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15218158) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jeerakathil, T., Wolf, P. A., Beiser, A., Massaro, J., Seshadri, S., D'Agostino, R. B., et al. (2004). Stroke risk profile predicts white matter hyperintensity volume: the Framingham Study. Stroke. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.str.0000135226.53499.85
Vancouver
Jeerakathil T, Wolf PA, Beiser A, Massaro J, Seshadri S, D'Agostino RB, et al. Stroke risk profile predicts white matter hyperintensity volume: the Framingham Study. Stroke. 2004. doi:10.1161/01.str.0000135226.53499.85. PMID: 15218158.
BibTeX
@article{jeerakathil2004-15218158,
author = {Jeerakathil, T. and Wolf, P. A. and Beiser, A. and Massaro, J. and Seshadri, S. and D'Agostino, R. B. and DeCarli, C.},
title = {{Stroke risk profile predicts white matter hyperintensity volume: the Framingham Study}},
journal = {Stroke},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1161/01.str.0000135226.53499.85},
pmid = {15218158},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/01.str.0000135226.53499.85}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
35 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in How common it is
Also tagged “cerebral”
900 studies in the library carry the topic tag “cerebral”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 900 tagged studies.