Loading...
Traditionally, lacunar infarctions have been considered benign lesions, but recent data have suggested otherwise. Norrving reviews findings from 24 studies involving 2863 patients who had first-ever symptomatic lacunae and were followed for 1 to 14 years.
Overall, the case fatality rates at 30 days (mean, 2.5%) and at 1 year (mean, 2.8%) were similar to those in the general population; however, the mortality rate after lacunar infarctions increased to 27.4% at 5 years, 60% after 10 years, and 75% after 14 years. In the 3 studies with the longest follow-up, most deaths (52%) were cardiovascular, and 21% were from stroke. Older age, diabetes, smoking, high disability score, male sex, nonuse of aspirin, multiple asymptomatic lacunae, and leukoa…