Lacunar infarction: a 12 month study.

Identification of lacunar infarction as a cause of stroke is important, as investigation, treatment and outcome differ from those in the other stroke categories. In this study of 121 acute strokes admitted over a period of 12 months, 28 patients (23%) were found to have lacunar infarction and 93% of patients with lacunes had either a past history of hypertension or echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy. The degree of left ventricular hypertrophy tended to be moderate to severe with an average left ventricular mass on echocardiography of 120 g/m2. Pure motor hemiparesis was the commonest clinical presentation and lacunar infarction overall has a low mortality.