Characterizing the underlying microangiopathy of deep cerebellar intracerebral hemorrhage.

Introduction: While cerebral amyloid angiopathy is likely responsible for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) occurring in superficial (grey matter, vermis) cerebellar locations, it is unclear whether hypertensive arteriopathy (HA), the other major cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), is associated with cerebellar ICH (cICH) in deep (white matter, deep nuclei, cerebellar peduncle) regions. We tested the hypothesis that HA-associated neuroimaging markers are significantly associated with deep cICH compared to superficial cICH.

Patients and methods: Brain MRI scans from consecutive non-traumatic cICH patients admitted to a referral center were analyzed for cSVD markers. Clinical risk factors, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH, a marker of hypertensive end-organ damage), and neuroimaging markers were compared between patients with deep and superficial cICH in univariate and multivariable models.

Results: Hypertension and LVH were more common among 83 (64%) patients with deep cICH compared to 46 (36%) with superficial cICH. HA-related markers such as peri-basal ganglia white matter hyperintensity pattern, deep lacunes, severe basal ganglia enlarged perivascular spaces, and deep cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) were more common among those with deep vs. superficial cICH. Strictly lobar CMBs were less common among patients with deep cICH, whereas mixed-location CMBs were more common. After multivariable adjustment, LVH (aOR 4.06, 95% CI [1.22-13.50], p = 0.02), deep lacunes (aOR 6.02, 95% CI [1.46-24.89], p = 0.01), and strictly lobar CMBs (aOR 0.09, 95% CI [0.02-0.45], p < 0.01) remained significantly associated with deep cICH.

Discussion and conclusion: Because HA-associated markers are significantly associated with deep cICH, it is likely HA is the dominant underlying microangiopathy of this ICH subtype.