Micro-RNA in a sample of Egyptian patients with incidental cerebral small vessel disease

Abstract

Background: Despite being the cause of morbidity and mortality in many patients, little is known about the pathophysiology of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Identifying new biomarkers is mandatory for early diagnosis and proper management. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of micro-RNA as a biomarker for incidental cerebral small vessel disease (iCSVD) and its clinic-radiological correlates in a sample of Egyptian patients. Results: The median age of patients, gender and risk factors did not differ from controls. However, patients were more significantly impaired than controls on cognitive, gait and sphincteric scales. MiRNA-451a was upregulated in cases with a median fold change of 3.4, while miRNA-409-3p, 486-5p, 502-3p, were significantly downregulated in comparison to healthy controls. Conclusion: Dysregulation of the studied microRNA may play a role in pathogenesis of incidental cerebral small vessel disease and warrants further studies.