Abstract TP15: Association Between Prevalent Cardiovascular Disease Plus Atrial Fibrillation and Global Cerebral Small Vessel Disease- The Framingham Heart Study

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) contribute to stroke and dementia, which can be due to cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) detectable on brain MRI. Aim: To determine the association between prevalent CVD and atrial fibrillation (AF) with CSVD. Methods: We assessed a composite of CVD including coronary heart disease, intermittent claudication, congestive heart failure (CHF) and AF, as well as the individual components. A multi-marker CSVD score was used to reflect increasing CSVD burden (cerebral microbleeds, high burden perivascular spaces, extensive white matter hyperintensity, or covert brain infarcts were assigned 1 point each, range 0-4). We related prevalent CVD or the individual components to the CSVD score using logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, FHS cohort, time between MRI-clinic exam (model-1), and vascular risk factors (model-2). Results: In 3413 participants (mean age 59±14 years, 46.6% males), 8.4% had prevalent CVD, 4.1% had AF and 10.9% had both. One CSVD marker was seen in 22.7% participants, two in 7.1% and ≥3 in 1.82%. In multivariable-adjusted analyses prevalent CVD was associated with presence of one CSVD marker (OR 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.84). The association with 2 or ≥3 markers did not reach statistical significance. The strongest association with subtype of CVD was between CHF and ≥3 CSVD markers (OR 5.67, 95% CI 1.90-16.9). Stratified analyses in subgroups by hypertension status, APOE- ε4 presence, and age < 65 years were limited by smaller number of events, with no significant differences. Interpretation: Prevalent CVD (including AF) is associated with presence of CSVD in community dwelling middle-aged adults free of stroke and dementia, with stronger associations with CHF.