Guluzade L.Ch.^1,, Sultanova M.C¹, Gafarov I.A.²

Arterial Hypertension (AH) and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus(DM) have already become an epidemic in the last decades. Both of them are risk factors for formation of T2 hyperintense foci. MRI is the most convenient non-invasive method for detecting T2 hyperintense foci. Total of 275 patients between 35 and 70 years were included in this study. 77 of the patients were with only AH, 51 with only type 2 DM, 61 with AH + type 2 DM and 86 of them were healthy individuals. The purpose of the study is to note, compare (with each other and with control group) and check the statistical validity of the size and numbers of white matter hyperintensities (T2 hyperintense foci) detected in the brain in the presence of only AH or only type 2 DM and both pathologies together. The principles of randomization between age, gender (male, female) were followed. In patients with both AH and type 2 DM, the number of T2 hyperintense foci in the brain increases dramatically. When both diseases are present concurrently, the maximum and average size, number of foci are greater than those with AH or type 2 DM alone and control group. The cut-off for the average size of foci in patients with both AH and type 2 DM was 2.9 mm (sensitivity 73.2%±5.9%, specificity 92.2±3.8%), with only AH it was 1.9 mm (sensitivity 83.8%±4 .5%, specificity 52.9±7.0%), with only type 2 DM it was 2.9 mm for average size (sensitivity 45.7%±7 .3%, specificity 92.2±3.8%). The cut-off point for the number of foci in patients with both AH and type 2 DM is 23 (sensitivity 96.4±2.5%, specificity 98.0±1.9%), with only AH it was 14 (sensitivity 77.9±5.0%, specificity 94.1±3.3%), with only type 2 DM it was 14 (sensitivity 71.7±6.6%, specificity 94.1±3.3%).

MRI, brain, T2 hyperintens foci, arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, diagnostic value, healthy