OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of transesophageal echocardiography in detecting cardiac sources of embolism in elderly stroke patients. METHODS: We performed transesophageal echocardiography in 77 patients > or = 70 years old (mean 76.9) with ischemic stroke and investigated embolic sources. Thirty-seven patients were in sinus rhythm (SR) and 40 in atrial fibrillation (Af). RESULTS: Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast was detected in 73% of Af and in 14% of SR (p<0.01). Left atrial thrombus was present in 10% of Af and none of SR (p<0.05). Patent foramen ovale, atrial septal aneurysm, and aortic atherosclerotic plaque > or = 4.0 mm in thickness in the proximal aortic arch were more commonly found in patients with SR. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly ischemic stroke patients, 1) Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast and thrombus are more commonly detected in patients with Af, reflecting left atrial enlargement and blood stasis, and 2) atrial septal aneurysm, patent foramen ovale and aortic atherosclerotic plaque > or = 4.0 mm in thickness in the proximal aortic arch are important findings in patients with SR.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of transesophageal echocardiography in detecting cardiac sources of embolism in elderly strokepatients. METHODS: We performed transesophageal echocardiography in 77 patients > or = 70 years old (mean 76.9) with ischemic stroke and investigated embolic sources. Thirty-seven patients were in sinus rhythm (SR) and 40 in atrial fibrillation (Af). RESULTS: Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast was detected in 73% of Af and in 14% of SR (p<0.01). Left atrial thrombus was present in 10% of Af and none of SR (p<0.05). Patent foramen ovale, atrial septal aneurysm, and aortic atherosclerotic plaque > or = 4.0 mm in thickness in the proximal aortic arch were more commonly found in patients with SR. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly ischemic strokepatients, 1) Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast and thrombus are more commonly detected in patients with Af, reflecting left atrial enlargement and blood stasis, and 2) atrial septal aneurysm, patent foramen ovale and aortic atherosclerotic plaque > or = 4.0 mm in thickness in the proximal aortic arch are important findings in patients with SR.
Authors: Aristeidis H Katsanos; Rohini Bhole; Alexandra Frogoudaki; Sotirios Giannopoulos; Nitin Goyal; Agathi-Rosa Vrettou; Ignatios Ikonomidis; Ioannis Paraskevaidis; Konstantinos Pappas; John Parissis; Athanassios P Kyritsis; Anne W Alexandrov; Nikos Triantafyllou; Marc D Malkoff; Konstantinos Voumvourakis; Andrei V Alexandrov; Georgios Tsivgoulis Journal: Neurology Date: 2016-08-03 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Mohammad Javad Zibaeenezhad; Ashkan Mowla; R Salahi; Ali Reza Nikseresht; Hamid Shariat; Nahid Ashjaezadeh; Seyyed Javad Banani Journal: Ann Saudi Med Date: 2006 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 1.526