European journal of epidemiology
-
Presence of cerebral microbleeds indicates underlying vascular brain disease and has been implicated in lobar hemorrhages and dementia. However, it remains unknown whether microbleeds also reflect more systemic vascular burden. We investigated the association of microbleeds with all-cause and cardiovascular related mortality in the general population. ⋯ Mortality risk increased with increasing number of microbleeds. The presence of microbleeds, particularly multiple microbleeds and those in deep or infratentorial regions, indicates an increased risk of mortality, independent of other MRI markers of cerebral vascular disease. Our data suggest that microbleeds may mark severe underlying vascular pathology associated with poorer survival.