Impact factors of vascular cognitive impairment among the elderly stroke patients

Objective To investigate influencing factors of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) in elderly stroke patients and to provide references for effective interventions on VCI.Methods We recruited 200 cerebral infarction or hemorrhage patients older than 60 years at a general hospital in Mudanjiang city and assigned the patients into a VCI group (n=79) and a non-VCI group (n=121) based on the results of cognitive function assessment.We conducted a questionnaire survey and laboratory test among the participants and adopted unconditional multivariate logistic regression to explore factors related to VCI among the participants.Results There were significant differences in age,marital status,educational level,sleep status,meat intake,tea drinking,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,and coronary heart disease between VCI group and non-VCI group (P<0.05 for all).In comparison to those in the non-VCI group,significantly higher homocysteine (Hcy)(20.18±3.62 vs.12.72±1.59 μmol/L) and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)(6.80±1.13 vs.2.31±1.02 mg/L) and lower vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)(180.26±21.37 vs.226.53±24.28 pg/mL) were detected in the VCI group (P<0.001 for all).The results of unconditional logistic regression revealed that aged 70 years and above,hypertension,high levels of Hcy and hs-CRP were risk factors of VCI;while education of junior high school or above,drinking tea every day,and high level of VEGF were protective factors against VCI.Conclusion Age,educational level,tea drinking,whether with hypertension,and Hcy,VEGF and hs-CRP levels are main influencing factors of VCI among elderly stroke patients.