Modified Magnetic Resonance Imaging Burden of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Related Risk Factors in Patients With Thalassemia

Objective: This study aimed to explore the burden of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in patients with thalassemia and related risk factors. Methods: The clinical data and MRI of patients with thalassemia were retrospectively analyzed, and non-thalassemia controls with matched sex and age were selected. The modified MRI burden of CSVD included recent small subcortical infarct, presumed vasogenic white matter hyperintensity, presumed vasogenic lacunae, perivascular space (PVS), and brain atrophy. Results: This study included 110 patients in each of the thalassemia and control groups. There was no significant difference in sex, age, and common cerebrovascular disease risk factors between the 2 groups. The patients with thalassemia had a higher red blood cell count and lower content of hemoglobin. The PVS and modified MRI burden scores in the thalassemia group were higher than in the control group. With the increase in age, patients with thalassemia have a more severe CSVD burden. Conclusion: Patients with thalassemia have a heavier modified MRI burden of CSVD than non-thalassemia patients, particularly PVS, and aging is an important risk factor for CSVD changes.