Correlation between serum ANGPTL4 levels and white matter hyperintensity and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral small vessel disease

Abstract Objectives To investigate the correlation between serum angiopoietin‐like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) levels, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and cognitive impairment (CI) in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Methods This cross‐sectional study enrolled 171 patients with CSVD who attended the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from December 2021 to July 2022. All subjects underwent a 3.0T head magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychology assessment, and blood sampling. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and the severity of WMH was assessed by the Fazekas scale. According to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale, subjects were divided into normal cognition group (NC, n = 80) and CI group (n = 91). According to the total Fazekas scores, subjects were divided into a mild WMH group (n = 84), a moderate WMH group (n = 70), and a severe WMH group (n = 17). Results Serum ANGPTL4 levels were significantly higher in the CI group than in the NC group (p