Objective: Some cardiac abnormalities could be a substrate for potential embolic source in cryptogenic stroke (CS). We evaluated whether cardiac and echocardiographic markers were associated with CS in patients with incidental patent foramen ovale (PFO) as defined using the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score.
Materials and methods: Among 677 patients enrolled in a multicenter observational CS registry, 300 patients (44%) had PFOs detected by transesophageal echocardiography. They were classified into probable PFO-related stroke (RoPE score>6, n = 32) and stroke with incidental PFO (RoPE score≤6, n = 268) groups, and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, cardiac and echocardiographic markers (i.e. brain natriuretic peptide, left atrial [LA] diameter, ejection fraction, early transmitral flow velocity/early diastolic tissue Doppler imaging velocity [E/e'], LA appendage flow velocity, spontaneous echo contrast, atrial septal aneurysm, substantial PFO, and aortic arch plaques), stroke recurrence, and excellent outcome (modified Rankin scale score <2) at discharge were compared. Risk factors for low RoPE scores were determined using multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results: Higher brain natriuretic peptide levels (p = 0.032), LA enlargement (p < 0.001), higher E/e' (p = 0.001), lower LA appendage flow velocity (p < 0.001), non-substantial PFO (p = 0.021), and aortic arch plaques (p = 0.002) were associated with the low RoPE score group. Patients with high RoPE scores had excellent outcomes (58% versus 78%, p = 0.035). LA enlargement (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio, 1.15; 95 % confidence interval, 1.00-1.32; p = 0.039) was an independent predictor of low RoPE scores.
Conclusions: Abnormal cardiac substrate could be associated with CS occurrence in a subset of patients with PFO. Patients with CS who had incidental PFO may be at risk of cardioembolism.
Keywords: Echocardiography; Embolism; Left atrium; Patent foramen ovale.
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