Correlation between insulin resistance and white matter lesions among non-diabetic patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective: We investigated whether a correlation exists between insulin resistance and the severity of cerebral white matter lesions among non-diabetic patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods: The subjects were 105 consecutive patients without diabetes who were hospitalized due to non-cardioembolic stroke. The insulin resistance was evaluated by a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The degrees of periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH) were evaluated by the brain MRI. The HOMA-IR values >or=2.5 were indicative of the insulin resistance.

Results: The presence of PVH and DSWMH were 86.7 and 83.8%, respectively. The ratio of insulin resistance increased with higher grades of PVH and DSWMH. The HOMA-IR level in grade 3 PVH was significantly higher than those in grades 0 and 1. The HOMA-IR level in grade 3 DSWMH was significantly higher than those in grades 0-2. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that HOMA-IR was significantly associated with PVH or DSWMH.

Conclusion: It was found that insulin resistance correlated with white matter lesions among non-diabetic patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke.