Prognostic Impact of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease on Stroke Outcome

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), which includes white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), silent brain infarction (SBI), and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), develops in a conjunction of cumulated injuries to cerebral microvascular beds, increased permeability of blood-brain barriers, and chronic oligemia. SVD is easily detected by routine neuroimaging modalities such as brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Research has revealed that the presence of SVD markers may increase the risk of future vascular events as well as deteriorate functional recovery and neurocognitive trajectories after stroke, and such an association could also be applied to hemorrhagic stroke survivors. Currently, the specific mechanistic processes leading to the development and manifestation of SVD risk factors are unknown, and further studies with novel methodological tools are warranted. In this review, recent studies regarding the prognostic impact of WMHs, SBI, and CMBs on stroke survivors and briefly summarize the pathophysiological concepts underlying the manifestation of cerebral SVD.