Abstract :Background: To assess the clinical features and incidence rate of lacunar infarcts.
Methods: Hospital-based descriptive study of 864 patients with lacunar infarcts consecutively admitted for stroke during a period of 24 years, and compared to the rest of patients admitted for ischemic non-lacunar stroke (n=2,404).
Results: Lacunar infarcts represented 26.4% of all ischemic strokes. Factors independently associated with lacunar infarcts were arterial hypertension (OR=2.52; 95% CI (2.07-3.06) p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR= 1.55; 95% CI (1.26–1.90), p<0.001), female gender (OR= 0.68; 95% CI (0.57-0.82), p<0.001), valvular heart disease (OR=0.61; 95% CI (0.37-0.99), p=0.049), ischemic heart disease (OR=0.68; 95% CI (0.52-0.88), p=0.004), atrial fibrillation (OR=0.124; 95% CI (0.19–0.32), p<0.001), sudden onset (OR=0.74; 95% CI (0.61–0.89), p=0.030), headache (OR=0.26; 95% CI (0.14–0.50), p<0.001), early seizures (OR=0.11; 95% CI (0.02–0.45), p=0.003), nausea/vomiting (OR= 0.44; 95% CI (0.28–0.70), p=<0.001; altered consciousness (OR=0.12; 95% CI (0.08–0.19), p<0.001); sensory disturbances (OR=0.73; 95% CI (0.60-0.91; p=0.010), hemianopia (OR=0.04; 95% CI (0.02–0.08), p<0.001); speech disturbances (OR=0.48; 95% CI (0.39–0.58), p<0.001) and cranial nerve palsy (OR=0.55; 95% CI (0.35–0.85), p=0.005).
Conclusion: Lacunar infarcts represent 26.4% of cerebral infarcts and present their individual and differentiated clinical profile.