Characteristics of cerebral morphometric parameters in acute stroke patients and its associations with 90 days stroke outcome

Brain morphometry is widely used to diagnose and predict mainly neurodegenerative diseases, but cerebrovascular diseases have received much less attention, especially for predicting long-term consequences of stroke. The aim of the research was to investigate the associations between changes in brain morphometric parameters and stroke outcome at 90 days. 294 consecutive patients with acute stroke were recruited. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography assessment as well as clinical-neurological evaluation. Statistical analysis was performed in the program The Jamovi project (2022), Jamovi (Version 2.3) [Computer Software], Sydney, Australia using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. We found that enlarged ventricular and cortical morphometric parameters are associated with unfavorable stroke outcome at 90 days. In the univariable analysis, enlarged third ventricle index (the regression coefficient b=-2.6, p=0.014), Shlatenbrandt-Nurenberger index (the regression coefficient b=0.6, p=0.007), bicaudate index (the regression coefficient b=-1.5, p=0.006), higher width of the longitudinal cerebral fissure in the anterior part of the frontal lobes (the regression coefficient b=-3.5, p=0.005), higher width of the cerebral fissure in the area of the skull vault (the regression coefficient b=-3.5, p=0.006) significantly associated with lower Barthel index at 90 days. In the multivariable analysis, significant association was found between enlarged third ventricle index and Barthel index at 90 days (the regression coefficient b=-2.6, p=0.045). In the other model of multivariable analysis, enlarged bicaudate index significantly associated with higher level of functional dependence at 90 days (odds ratio=1.1, p=0.031). Our findings confirmed that enlarged cerebral morphometric indices are associated with unfavorable short-term stroke outcome at 90 days.