BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether clinical signs and symptoms differ in the presentation of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke, apart from temporal dynamics. METHODS: Signs and symptoms of patients diagnosed with TIA or stroke were prospectively collected and compared by means of an age-adjusted logistic regression analysis. Risk factors, prehospital medication, and diagnostic workup were obtained from the charts. RESULTS: Four hundred five patients diagnosed with stroke (68+/-12 years old, 45% female) and 143 diagnosed with TIA (64+/-14 years old, 48% female) were included. Signs and symptoms of patients with TIA were less often "classic" such as paresis (48% vs 71%, P<0.001) or sensory loss (38% vs 48%, P=0.03). The etiology of TIA was more often classified as "undetermined" (57% vs 46%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transient ischemic attack needs special attention and intensive diagnostic workup, because it bears a considerable risk of death and disability but presents less often with classic signs and symptoms and its etiology often remains undetermined.
BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether clinical signs and symptoms differ in the presentation of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke, apart from temporal dynamics. METHODS: Signs and symptoms of patients diagnosed with TIA or stroke were prospectively collected and compared by means of an age-adjusted logistic regression analysis. Risk factors, prehospital medication, and diagnostic workup were obtained from the charts. RESULTS: Four hundred five patients diagnosed with stroke (68+/-12 years old, 45% female) and 143 diagnosed with TIA (64+/-14 years old, 48% female) were included. Signs and symptoms of patients with TIA were less often "classic" such as paresis (48% vs 71%, P<0.001) or sensory loss (38% vs 48%, P=0.03). The etiology of TIA was more often classified as "undetermined" (57% vs 46%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transient ischemic attack needs special attention and intensive diagnostic workup, because it bears a considerable risk of death and disability but presents less often with classic signs and symptoms and its etiology often remains undetermined.
Authors: Gregory W Albers; Louis R Caplan; J Donald Easton; Pierre B Fayad; J P Mohr; Jeffrey L Saver; David G Sherman Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2002-11-21 Impact factor: 91.245