Small vessel occlusion and syphilis in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT

Background: Syphilis is an endemic disease, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with vascular involvement in large vessels (aortitis), but no clear relationship with stroke patients, except for those who presented with meningovascular neurosyphilis. Objective: To investigate the relationship between a positive history of syphilis determined by serological testing and ischemic stroke etiology, particularly small vessel disease (SVD). Methods: In total, 269 first-ever ischemic stroke patients admitted to the stroke unit were tested for syphilis. Patients with neurosyphilis were excluded. All patients were classified according to the ASCOD phenotyping as SVD — when SVD was the potential causal mechanism (S1) — or non-SVD — when SVD was uncertain (S2), unlike (S3), or not detected (S0). Results: Syphilis was positive in 32 (12%) patients. When comparing patients with positive and negative serology, the only significant difference was SVD as the causal mechanism (S1) in patients with positive results: 9 (28%) vs. 22 (9%), p<0.01. Conclusion: The current study showed that the frequency of positive syphilis serological test was higher in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and SVD as the potential causal mechanism. This finding could be related to the endothelial dysfunction occurring in syphilis.

RESUMO

Introdução: A sífilis é uma doença endêmica, especialmente em países de baixa e média renda, com acometimento vascular descrito em grandes vasos (aortite), porém nenhuma relação clara foi reconhecida em paciente com acidente vascular cerebral, exceto para aqueles com sífilis meningovascular. Objetivos: Investigar a relação entre história positiva de sífilis determinada pelo status sorológico e o mecanismo do acidente vascular cerebral isquêmico, particularmente doença de pequenos vasos. Métodos: Ao todo, 269 pacientes com AVC isquêmico foram testados para sífilis. Pacientes com diagnóstico de neurossífilis foram excluídos. Todos os pacientes foram classificados segundo o fenótipo ASCOD quando a doença de pequenos vasos era o mecanismo causal provável (S1) ou não-pequenos vasos quando este mecanismo era incerto (S2), pouco provável (S3) ou não detectado (S0). Resultados: O teste para sífilis foi positivo em 32 (12%) pacientes. Quando comparados, pacientes com sorologia positiva e o grupo com teste não reagente, a única diferença significativa foi a doença de pequenos vasos como mecanismo causal (S1) em pacientes com sorologia positiva: 9 (28%) vs. 22 (9%), p<0.01. Conclusão: O presente estudo mostra que o teste sorológico positivo para sífilis tem maior ocorrência em pacientes com o primeiro AVC isquêmico com a doença de pequenos vasos como um mecanismo causal possível. Tal achado pode estar relacionado à disfunção endotelial que ocorre durante a sífilis.

Keywords:

Syphilis - Stroke - Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases

Palavras-chave:

Sífilis - Acidente Vascular Cerebral - Doenças de Pequenos Vasos Cerebrais

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