43 White matter hyperintensity shape and long-term progression of cerebrovascular disease 3 who never smoked, former smokers were regular smokers of at least 100 cigarettes or 20 cigars in a lifetime, and the third category was current smokers. Participant’s height (cm) and weight (kg) were measured and used to calculate body mass index (BMI). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer; the mean of 2 measurements was calculated. Hypertension was registered in the database based on self-report and/or use of antihypertensive medication, and/or measured systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg. Diabetes mellitus was registered based on self-report of diabetes, or use of anti-diabetic medication, or fasting blood glucose level >7.0 mmol/L. Coronary artery disease was registered upon self-report and the use of nitrates, a coronary bypass, and/or evidence of myocardial infarction on an electrocardiogram. 3.3.5 Statistical analysis Solidity, convexity, and eccentricity were inverted for the logistic regression analyses to aid comparability of the results. Solidity and baseline WMH volumes were multiplied by 100 and natural log transformed due to non-normal distribution. Z-scores of WMH shape markers and baseline WMH volumes were calculated to aid comparability. The average intracranial volume of baseline and follow-up was calculated to improve precision. To study the association between periventricular/confluent and deep WMH shape markers and change in WMH volume, linear regression analyses controlled for age, sex, and intracranial volume were performed. To study the association between periventricular/confluent and deep WMH shape markers and occurrence of new subcortical brain infarcts, microbleeds, enlarged perivascular spaces, cerebellar infarcts, and cortical infarcts, logistic regression analyses were performed controlled for age and sex. As a frame of reference, the association between baseline WMH volume and change in WMH volume was tested with linear regression analyses controlled for age, sex, and intracranial volume. Furthermore, the association between baseline WMH volume and occurrence of new subcortical brain infarcts, microbleeds, enlarged perivascular spaces, cerebellar infarcts, and cortical infarcts was tested with logistic regression analyses controlled for age, and sex. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
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