Long-term propensity score-matched comparison of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale with medical treatment after paradoxical embolism

A Cardiologist's Perspective on Patent Foramen Ovale-Associated Conditions

The patent foramen ovale (PFO) jeopardizes health and its problems may be major. A nineteenth century case report was the first description of a PFO as cause of death. To the present day, the PFO does not get the deserved attention. A PFO is found in roughly 25% of people, its particularly dangerous forms in about 5%. Those have a high enough risk for harm by the PFO to justify screening for it for closure, even as primary prevention. After all, closing a PFO is as simple as fixing a tooth and can be considered a mechanical vaccination.

Coronary artery thromboembolism as a cause of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA)

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) usually represents the clinical manifestation of atherothrombotic coronary artery disease (CAD) resulting from atherosclerotic plaque rupture. However, there are cases in which coronary angiography or coronary computed tomography angiography reveals patients with acute coronary syndrome with non-obstructive CAD. This clinical entity is defined as myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and often considered as a clinical dynamic working diagnosis that needs further investigations for the establishment of a final etiologic diagnosis. The main causes of a MINOCA working diagnosis include atherosclerotic, non-atherosclerotic (vessel-related and non-vessel-related), and thromboembolic causes This literature review aimed to investigate the major thromboembolic causes in patients presenting with MINOCA regarding their etiology and pathophysiologic mechanisms, as well as diagnostic and treatment methods.

Every Patent Foramen Ovale Should Be Closed

At present, the patent foramen ovale (PFO) does not receive the deserved medical attention. The PFO poses a serious threat to health and even the life of mankind. The first respective case report in the medical literature dates back to the 19th century. It led to death. The fact that a PFO is present in roughly 25% of people underscores its overall potential to cause harm. Yet at the same time, the sheer number discourages the medical community from screening for it and from treating it. About 5% of the population have particularly dangerous forms of PFOs. Such PFOs portray a high enough risk for clinical events, the likes of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, or ocular, visceral, and peripheral embolism, to justify screening for them. Highly significant health incidents being at stake, it appears obvious that PFO closure should be used for primary prevention. This is supported by the fact that closing a PFO is the simplest intervention in cardiology, with presumably the highest clinical yield. Being mainly a preventive measure, PFO closure represents a mechanical vaccination. When closing PFOs for one of the rarer therapeutic indications (migraine, platypnea orthodeoxia, etc.), patients automatically profit from the collateral benefit of getting, at the same time, mechanically vaccinated for life against paradoxical embolism. Vice versa, closing a PFO for the prevention of paradoxical embolism betters or cures migraine or exercise dyspnea not infrequently, thereby improving quality of life as a collateral benefit.

Patent Foramen Ovale Percutaneous Closure: Evolution and Ongoing Challenges

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) concerns nearly a quarter of the general population and incidence may reach up to 50% in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Recent randomized clinical trials confirmed that percutaneous closure of PFO-related stroke reduces the risk of embolic event recurrence. PFO also comes into play in other pathogenic conditions, such as migraine, decompression sickness or platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, where the heterogeneity of patients is high and evidence for closure is less well-documented. In this review, we describe the current indications for PFO percutaneous closure and the remaining challenges, and try to provide future directions regarding the technique and its indications.

Long-term risk of recurrent cerebrovascular events after patent foramen ovale closure: Results from a real-world stroke cohort

INTRODUCTION

Patent foramen ovale (PFO)-closure is recommended for stroke prevention in selected patients with suspected PFO-associated stroke. However, studies on cerebrovascular event recurrence after PFO-closure are limited by relatively short follow-up periods and information on the underlying aetiology of recurrent events is scarce.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All consecutive patients with a cerebral ischaemic event and PFO-closure at the University Hospital Graz were prospectively identified from 2004 to 2021. Indication for PFO-closure was based on a neurological-cardiological PFO board decision. Patients underwent standardized clinical and echocardiographic follow-up 6 months after PFO-closure. Recurrent cerebrovascular events were assessed via electronical health records.

RESULTS

PFO-closure was performed in 515 patients (median age: 49 years; Amplatzer PFO occluder: 42%). Over a median follow-up of 11 years (range: 2-18 years, 5141 total patient-years), recurrent ischaemic cerebrovascular events were observed in 34 patients (ischaemic stroke: n = 22, TIA: n = 12) and associated with age, hyperlipidaemia and smoking in multivariable analysis (p < 0.05 each). Large artery atherosclerosis and small vessel disease were the most frequent aetiologies of recurrent stroke/TIA (27% and 24% respectively), and only two events were related to atrial fibrillation (AF). Recurrent ischaemic cerebrovascular event rates and incident AF were comparable in patients treated with different PFO occluders (p > 0.1).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

In this long-term follow-up-study of patients with a cerebral ischaemic event who had received PFO-closure with different devices, rates of recurrent stroke/TIA were low and largely related to large artery atherosclerosis and small vessel disease. Thorough vascular risk factor control seems crucial for secondary stroke prevention in patients treated for PFO-related stroke.

The Role of Echocardiography in the Assessment of the Interatrial Septum and Patent Foramen Ovale as an Emboligenic Source

A comunicação do septo atrial (CIA) representa, aproximadamente, de 6%-10% dos defeitos cardíacos congênitos, com incidência de 1 em 1.500 nascidos vivos.1 Forame oval patente (FOP) é mais comum e está presente em mais de 20%-25% dos adultos.2 Síndromes clínicas associadas a CIA e FOP são variáveis, com implicações abrangendo a medicina pediátrica e adulta, neurologia e cirurgia.

O interesse adicional na anatomia do septo interatrial (SIA) aumentou substancialmente nas últimas duas décadas, com evolução simultânea dos procedimentos percutâneos envolvendo cardiopatia estrutural do lado esquerdo e procedimentos eletrofisiológicos. Idealmente, essas intervenções baseadas em cateter requerem rota direta para o átrio esquerdo (AE) através do SIA, necessitando completo entendimento de sua anatomia. Atualmente, tecnologias de imagem sofisticadas e não invasivas como ecocardiografia transesofágica bidimensional (ETE 2D) e tridimensional (ETE 3D), ressonância cardíaca (RMC) e tomografia computadorizada (TC) passaram por um extraordinário desenvolvimento tecnológico, fornecendo detalhes anatômicos das estruturas cardíacas visualizadas em formato 2D e 3D e são essenciais para diagnóstico e tratamento de pacientes com doenças cardíacas.

A avaliação da anatomia e anormalidades do SIA, portanto, requer abordagem padronizada e sistemática, integrando modalidades diagnósticas e fornecendo avaliação adequada e uniforme para terapias cirúrgicas e transcateter.

Secondary Prevention of Cryptogenic Stroke and Outcomes Following Surgical Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Plus Medical Therapy vs. Medical Therapy Alone: An Umbrella Meta-Analysis of Eight Meta-Analyses Covering Seventeen Countries

Background

Cryptogenic stroke (CS) is an exclusion diagnosis that accounts for 10-40% of all ischemic strokes. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is found in 66% of patients with CS, while having a prevalence of 25-30% in the general population. The primary aim was to evaluate the risk of recurrent stroke following surgical PFO closure plus medical therapy vs. medical therapy alone amongst CS, an embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), or transient ischemic attack (TIA). The secondary aim was to evaluate new-onset non-valvular atrial fibrillation, mortality, and major bleeding.

Methods

We conducted an umbrella meta-analysis using PRISMA guidelines on English studies comparing surgical PFO closure plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone for managing CS. We extracted data on interventions and outcomes and used random-effects models with generic inverse variance to calculate relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals for outcome calculations.

Results

A comprehensive search yielded 54,729 articles on CS and 65,001 on surgical PFO closure, with 1,591 studies focusing on PFO closure and medical therapy for secondary CS, ESUS, or TIA prevention. After excluding non-meta-analyses, 52 eligible meta-analyses were identified, and eight studies were selected for outcome evaluation, excluding non-English, non-human, and studies before January 2019 as of August 31, 2021. Among a total of 41,880 patients, 14,942 received PFO closure + medical therapy, while 26,938 patients received medical therapy alone. Our umbrella meta-analysis showed that PFO closure plus medical therapy had a 64% lower risk of recurrent strokes than medical therapy alone (pooled RR: 0.36). PFO closure plus medical therapy was associated with 4.94 times higher risk of atrial fibrillation. There was no difference in the risk of death or bleeding between both groups.

Conclusion

In patients with CS, PFO closure, in addition to medical therapy, reduces the risk of recurrence. More research is needed to assess the efficacy of early closure as well as specific risk profiles that would benefit from early intervention to reduce the burden of stroke.

Clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale: a single center experience

BACKGROUND

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has a high estimated prevalence (25% of the general population) and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cryptogenic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), as well as in the pathogenesis of migraine headache. This study evaluated the effectiveness of percutaneous transcatheter PFO closure with Amplatzer™ (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA) devices, from a large single-center experience.

METHODS

From January 1998 to December 2014, 577 patients (243 males and 334 females, mean age 50 years, range 11-82 years) with documented PFO and history of at least one episode of cryptogenic stroke/TIA (N.=356) or occasional finding of previous ischemic lesions on MRI (N.=221) underwent percutaneous transcatheter closure of PFO using an Amplatzer™ Occluder (Abbott Laboratories). All the procedures were performed under general anesthesia or mild sedation and were assisted by transesophageal or intracardiac echocardiography.

RESULTS

Procedural success was 100%. After a median follow-up period of 2.7 years with echocardiographic evaluations, the rate of recurrent adverse cerebral events was 0.4%. Two patients (0.4%) required a secondary procedure for significant residual shunt. Of 36 patients with minor residual shunt, 30 (83%) showed spontaneous shunt regression at follow-up. There was a consistent decrease after procedure in headache migraine, platypnea-orthodeoxia, fainting episodes, syncope, and coenesthesia phenomena.

CONCLUSIONS

Transcatheter PFO closure is an effective and safe therapy for the prevention of thromboembolic events in the patients with cryptogenic stroke/TIA or an occasional finding of a positive cerebral MRI. Late follow-up shows device stability and clinical improvement in the majority of patients.

Transcatheter Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack

Limited data exist on patients with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) who underwent patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. The objectives of this study were to determine the clinical and procedural characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients with TIA who underwent transcatheter PFO closure. This was a multicenter study including 1,012 consecutive patients who underwent PFO closure after a cerebrovascular event. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their index event leading to PFO closure: TIA (n = 183 [18%]), and stroke (n = 829 [82%]). The median follow-up was 3 (2 to 8) years (complete in 98% of patients). There were no significant differences between patients with TIA and stroke, except for a lower Risk of Paradoxical Embolism score in the TIA group (6.1 vs 6.9 in the stroke group, p <0.001). PFO closure was successful in all patients with a low rate of complications (<1%) in both groups. There were no differences in the incidence of neurologic events during long-term follow-up. There was 1 stroke event in the TIA group and 6 in the stroke group (0.08 vs 0.17 per 100 patients-years, p = 0.584). There were 2 TIA events in the TIA group and 10 in the stroke group (0.17 vs 0.28 per 100 patients-years, p = 0.557). In conclusion, our study showed that patients with TIA who underwent PFO closure have similar clinical characteristics as patients with stroke including a high Risk of Paradoxical Embolism score. Furthermore, these results suggest that PFO closure procedural results and long-term clinical outcomes are similar to their stroke counterparts, with a very low incidence of recurrent neurologic events. Further prospective randomized clinical trials are needed on this population.

Effect of ASA on the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO

Background

Whether atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) increases the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) remains controversial.

Objective

We constructed a detailed meta‐analysis to assess the effect of ASA on risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (cohort studies and case‐control studies) that compared PFO‐ASA against PFO alone were included. Pooled odds ratios (OR) estimates and 95% CI were calculated using the fixed‐effect and random‐effect models.

Results

Four RCTs and twelve observational studies (five cohort studies and seven case‐control studies) contributed to the meta‐analysis. The pooled results of case‐control studies showed that ASA increased the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO (fixed‐effect model: OR = 3.69; 95% CI: 2.67–5.09; p < 0.01, random‐effect model: OR = 3.63; 95% CI: 2.51–5.24; p < 0.01). However, poole results from RCTs (fixed‐effect model: OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 0.78–1.95; p = 0.36, random‐effect model: OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 0.78–2.08; p = 0.34) and cohort studies (fixed‐effect model: OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 0.81–2.23; p = 0.25, random‐effect model: OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 0.84–2.33; p = 0.20) found no evidence. Overall analysis showed that ASA increased the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events (fixed‐effect model: OR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.84–2.87; p < 0.01, random‐effect model: OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.48–3.01; p < 0.01). The sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of all results.

Conclusions

Although case‐control studies support ASA to increase the risk of cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with PFO, RCTs and cohort studies challenged the credibility. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the effect of ASA on patients with PFO.

Myocardial Infarction in the Absence of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (MINOCA): a Review of the Present and Preview of the Future

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The syndrome of myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA) is not uncommon and has multiple potential coronary etiologies. With the use of more sensitive cardiac biomarkers and advanced cardiovascular imaging, MINOCA presentations have gain increasing attention among researchers and cardiologists. Despite the presence of a myocardial infarction and elevated future risk, many patients are sent home with little or no cardio-protective treatment and no explanation for their symptoms. In this review, we emphasized the importance of MINOCA treatment based on the underlying etiology.

RECENT FINDINGS

As there are multiple pathophysiological mechanisms potentially involved in MINOCA, it should be considered a working diagnosis until there is a better understanding regarding the underlying cause. It is critical to use multimodality imaging when treating patients with MINOCA to help determine the underlying etiology and rule out mimics of MINOCA, so that therapies appropriate to the etiology can be provided. A more systematic approach to managing patients with MINOCA should result in better treatment and an improved prognosis for these patients.

Meta-analysis of patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy for prevention of recurrent ischemic neurological events: Impact of medication type

BACKGROUND

The optimal treatment strategy for patent foramen ovale (PFO) patients with cryptic stroke remains controversial. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of PFO closure versus different types of medical therapy.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. The primary efficacy endpoints were the composite outcome of recurrent stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Secondary efficacy endpoints included separate stroke and TIA. Safety endpoints included new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter and bleeding.

RESULTS

Compared with antiplatelet therapy, PFO closure significantly reduced the risk of composite outcome (odds ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27-0.51), stroke (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.13-0.36], and TIA (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.98); Compared with the mixed medical therapy group (consist of antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulant therapy, or both), PFO closure still showed some benefits, but the effect was not as significant as that of antiplatelet therapy (composite outcome: OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41-0.69; stroke: OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.34-0.68; TIA: OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50-0.96); Compared with anticoagulant therapy, PFO closure showed no benefit (composite outcome: OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.46-1.28; stroke: OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.28-1.25; TIA: OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.50-2.04). In terms of safe endpoints, compared with antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulant therapy, PFO closure increased the risk of AF/atrial flutter (OR 9.56, 95% CI 2.85-32.06; OR 18.96, 95% CI 1.11-323.8, respectively) and reduced the risk of bleeding (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.24-1.05; OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.46, respectively); compared with mixed medical therapy, PFO closure increased the risk of AF/atrial flutter (OR 4.40,95% CI 2.24-8.67), but there was no difference in bleeding (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.56-1.68).

CONCLUSIONS

With the addition of anticoagulants, the benefit of PFO closure decreased gradually. Patient groups that adopt individualized medical therapy strategies may benefit more.

Prognosis of Cryptogenic Stroke With Patent Foramen Ovale at Older Ages and Implications for Trials: A Population-Based Study and Systematic Review

Importance

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure may prevent recurrent stroke after cryptogenic transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke (TIA/stroke) in patients aged 60 years or younger. Patent foramen ovale is associated with cryptogenic stroke in the older population, but risk of recurrence is unknown. Data on prognosis of patients receiving medical treatment at older ages (≥60 years) are essential to justify trials of PFO closure.

Objective

To examine the age-specific risk of recurrence in patients with cryptogenic TIA/stroke with PFO.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A prospective study was nested in the population-based Oxford Vascular Study between September 1, 2014, and March 31, 2019, with face-to-face follow-up for 5 years. A total of 416 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of cryptogenic TIA or nondisabling stroke, screened for PFO at a rapid-access TIA/stroke clinic, were included. A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies reporting on ischemic stroke recurrence after cryptogenic TIA/stroke in patients with PFO who were receiving medical therapy alone, or with PFO vs no-PFO was conducted. Sample size calculation for future trials on PFO closure was performed for patients aged 60 years or older.

Exposures

Patent foramen ovale and age as modifiers of risk of recurrent stroke after cryptogenic TIA/stroke in patients receiving only medical therapy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Risk of ischemic stroke recurrence in patients with cryptogenic TIA/stroke and PFO receiving medical therapy only, and in patients with vs without PFO, stratified by age (<65 vs ≥65 years), as well as sample-size calculation for future trials of PFO closure in patients aged 60 years or older.

Results

Among the 153 Oxford Vascular Study patients with PFO (mean [SD] age, 66.7 [13.7] years; 80 [52.3%] men), recurrent ischemic stroke risk (2.05 per 100 patient-years) was similar to the pooled estimate from a systematic review of 23 other studies (9 trials and 14 observational studies) (2.00 per 100 patient-years; 95% CI, 1.55-2.58). However, there was heterogeneity between studies (P < .001 for heterogeneity), owing mainly to risk increasing with mean cohort age (meta-regression: R2 = 0.31; P = .003). In the pooled analysis of 4 studies including patients with or without PFO, increased risk of stroke recurrence with PFO was seen only at age 65 years or older (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4-4.2; P = .001 for difference; P = .39 for heterogeneity). The pooled ischemic stroke risk was 3.27 per 100 patient-years (95% CI, 2.59-4.13) in 4 cohorts with mean age 60 years or older. Assuming the more conservative 2.0 per 100 patient-years ischemic stroke risk in the PFO nonclosure arms of future trials in patients aged 60 years or older, projected sample sizes were 1080 per arm for 80% power to detect a 33% relative risk reduction.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that age is a determinant of risk of ischemic stroke after cryptogenic TIA/stroke in patients with PFO, such that trials of PFO closure at older ages are justified; however, projected sample sizes are large.

Patent foramen ovale closure in the management of cryptogenic stroke: a review of current literature and guideline statements

OBJECTIVE

The management recommendations for patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure in cryptogenic stroke are rapidly evolving. The data has expanded recently with four major trials demonstrating superiority of percutaneous device closure over medical management in preventing cryptogenic stroke recurrence. This paper aims to review the current literature for referring physicians who may encounter patients with patent foramen ovale before referring these patients to stroke specialists and/or interventional cardiologists.

METHOD

For this Narrative review, we conducted a broad literature search with expert selection of relevant data. Our search included a review of the currently available trials, guideline statements, position papers, cost-effectiveness of device closure data, as well as the impact of device closure on quality of life.

RESULTS

Most European societies are now in favor of evaluating all patients aged 60 years or younger with recent cryptogenic stroke in the setting of a PFO after careful consideration of the patient's echocardiographic and clinical risk factors. On the other hand, American societies, except for the American Academy of Neurology, have not yet passed official updated recommendations.

CONCLUSION

PFO closure can be considered for the prevention of recurrent cryptogenic stroke in patients aged ≤60 years after a thorough evaluation and discussion about benefits and potential risks (including but not limited to atrial fibrillation) of the procedure. Accumulating evidence supports prognostic, quality of life, and economic benefit from percutaneous PFO closure with newer generation closure devices in the right subset of patients.

HIGHLIGHTS

Data from 4 major trials (RESPECT, CLOSE, DEFENSE-PFO, REDUCE) demonstrates the superiority of PFO closure over medical management alone in preventing cryptogenic stroke recurrence. Trials investigated mostly patients ≤60 years old, and therefore results may not be generalizable to the entire population. Further randomized trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of PFO closure in patients older than 60 years are warranted.Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common "occult" causes of cryptogenic stroke and should be excluded by ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. It is important to also rule out other causes of stroke, including hypercoagulable states, atherosclerotic lesions, other cardioembolic sources, and arterial dissection.Complications of PFO procedure include new-onset AF, development of scar tissue, risk of aortic root dilation and subsequent erosions, and potential thrombi formation on the device.PFO closure with medical therapy is more cost-effective than medical therapy alone.Patients who underwent PFO closure had lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to those who did undergo closure.Development of the RoPE score has helped clinicians identify patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO who might be a candidate for PFO closure. A score of 7, 8, and 9-10 corresponds to a causal risk of 72%, 84%, and 88%, respectively, and defines a subset of patients who may benefit from PFO closure.Current guidelines recommend determining the need for PFO closure on a case-by-case basis, depending on risk factors, in patients age 60 or less with recent cryptogenic stroke in the setting of PFO.

The role of device closure of patent foramen ovale in patients with cryptogenic stroke

One of the most frequent causes of cardiac embolism in cryptogenic stroke is a paradoxical embolus, which originate from systemic venous source though an unidentified patent foramen ovale (PFO). PFO is a common finding in the general population with a prevalence of 25% to 30%. Transcatheter PFO device closure is known to be feasible and safety treatment for such patients. In recent years, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to address the superiority of PFO closure over medical therapy alone in the prevention of stroke recurrence in patients with PFO. In contrast to findings from early 3 RCTs, recent 4 RCTs could successfully show the benefits of PFO device closure compared with medical therapy, with less peri- and postprocedural complication. Based on these data, PFO device closure is recommended to carefully select cryptogenic stroke patients aged from 18 to 65 years, with a high probability of a causal role of the PFO in stroke events. However, it is still uncertain whether PFO closure is superior to oral anticoagulants therapy in these patients. Therefore, further prospective randomized trials are needed to address the efficacy of PFO device closure to oral anticoagulants therapy.

Acute cerebral infarction with acute myocardial infarction due to patent foramen ovale: A case report

RATIONALE

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is not considered to be the main cause of stroke and is classified as the infarction of undetermined cause. The relationship between PFO and cerebral embolism is still unclear and cerebral embolism accompanied with coronary artery embolization in PFO patient is rare. In this case, we reported a patient with PFO suffered acute cerebral and myocardial infarction simultaneously, and analyzed the source of emboli and potential pathogenesis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 53-year-old female presented with chief complaints of intermittent palpitations and chest tightness for 6 years, aggravated for 3 days.

DIAGNOSES

During the hospitalization, acute cerebral infarction and acute myocardial infarction occurred at the same time in the patient. The patient felt paroxysmal abdominal pain repeatedly. Finally, we detected PFO in the patient INTERVENTIONS:: Double antiplatelet therapy was given to the patient of acute cerebral and myocardial infarction with PFO.

OUTCOMES

Two weeks after the onset of the disease, the condition was relatively stable. But after 2 months, the patient experienced repeated heart failure, transthoracic echocardiography manifested no significant change in the PFO gap but significant cardiac function reduction.

LESSONS

Although a growing number of people are aware that PFO is a risk factor for arterial embolization especially when coexisting with atrial septal aneurysm, a significant proportion of patients have paradoxical embolism after PFO closure. Therefore, transesophageal echocardiography should be routinely performed to find the possible cause of embolism when infarction of undetermined cause occurs, and PFO closure and anti-platelet aggregation or anticoagulant therapy should be given at the same time in order to reduce the occurrence of arterial thrombosis.

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure: State of the Art

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common abnormality affecting between 20% and 34% of the adult population. For most people, it is a benign finding; however, in some people, the PFO can open widely to enable paradoxical embolus to transit from the venous to arterial circulation, which is associated with stroke and systemic embolisation. Percutaneous closure of the PFO in patients with cryptogenic stroke has been undertaken for a number of years, and a number of purpose-specific septal occluders have been marketed. Recent randomised control trials have demonstrated that closure of PFO in patients with cryptogenic stroke is associated with reduced rates of recurrent stroke. After a brief overview of the anatomy of a PFO, this article considers the evidence for PFO closure in cryptogenic stroke. The article also addresses other potential indications for closure, including systemic arterial embolisation, decompression sickness, platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome and migraine with aura. The article lays out the pre-procedural investigations and preparation for the procedure. Finally, the article gives an overview of the procedure itself, including discussion of closure devices.

Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale under transthoracic echocardiography guidance-midterm results

Background

Conventional percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is usually performed under the guidance of fluoroscopy. Whether closure of PFO under transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) guidance only is safe and effective is unknown. The present study therefore aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous closure of PFO under TTE guidance only.

Methods

This study retrospectively enrolled a total of 52 consecutive patients (55.8% male, mean age 34.0±13.0 years, range, 10-59 years) with PFO treated at our institution from June 2015 to September 2017 by percutaneous closure under echocardiographic guidance only. The patients mean body weight was 58.7±10.8 kg. Patients underwent follow-up by TTE immediately post procedure by electrocardiogram and TTE at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge and annually thereafter, and by clinical evaluation at all time points.

Results

Of the 52 patients, 47 (90.4%) were successfully treated by percutaneous closure under TTE guidance. The mean procedure duration (from puncture to sheath removal) was 21.0±6.2 (range, 11-33) minutes. A trivial residual shunt which disappeared 24 hours later was observed in only 1 (1.9%) patient immediately post procedure. Median hospital stay was 3.0 days without severe complications such as peripheral vascular injury or cardiac perforation at discharge. At median 15.5 (11.3, 18.0) months follow-up, there were no complications such as death, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) and residual shunt.

Conclusions

In this single center study of mostly lean patients, percutaneous closure of PFO under TTE guidance as the only imaging tool appeared effective at midterm follow-up, while avoiding radiation exposure, endotracheal intubation and contrast agent use.

Surgical embolectomy for paradoxical cerebral embolism with massive pulmonary embolism

The patient was a 68-year-old woman with a history of multiple cerebral emboli. The patient presented with dysarthria, dysphagia, and left facial paralysis. Emergent MRI demonstrated multiple emboli in the brain stem and left occipital lobe. Echocardiography and chest CT demonstrated floating emboli entrapped in the foramen ovale and pulmonary emboli in both main pulmonary arteries. Emergent pulmonary embolectomy and extraction of the emboli on the foramen ovale were successfully performed without neurological exacerbation.

Percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure during live case demonstrations

BACKGROUND

Live case demonstrations serve as an educational tool for interventional techniques in cardiology. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and technical success of percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure during live case demonstrations.

METHODS

All patients who had undergone percutaneous PFO closure with Amplatzer devices during live case demonstrations at our institution were consecutively included in this retrospective analysis. Procedure related events were compared with summary event rates derived from the eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating PFO closure, as well as with a propensity matched cohort of patients treated under usual conditions.

RESULTS

From April 2004 to June 2015, 142 patients underwent percutaneous PFO closure during live demonstrations, mainly for secondary prevention of cryptogenic cerebrovascular events. The interventions were fluoroscopy guided and successful in all but three cases (2%). Minor adverse events occurred in nine patients (6%). Contrast TEE performed at about 6 months showed complete closure in 84%. No significant differences with regard to technical success and major complications rate were found compared to RCTs, except for an increased rate of minor bleeding observed during live case demonstrations (P for difference < 0.001), mainly attributable to concomitant arterial access for incidental coronary angiography performed in 70% of patients. Except for slightly longer procedure duration, no difference was found compared to a matched population treated under usual conditions.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous PFO closure can be performed during live case demonstrations with the same high technical success as during routine cases.

Percutaneous transcatheter closure of high-risk patent foramen ovale in the elderly

The efficacy of percutaneous transcatheter closure for preventing recurrent cerebrovascular events in elderly patients with high-risk patent foramen ovale (PFO) remains unclear, whereas in young patients, it has been shown to effectively prevent the recurrence of embolic stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous PFO closure in elderly patients with high-risk PFO. Between September 2012 and October 2018, 14 patients ≥ 60 years old with high-risk PFO underwent percutaneous closure to prevent recurrence of cerebrovascular events. The primary end point was recurrence of cerebrovascular events after closure in elderly patients with high-risk PFO, and the secondary end points were occurrence of device-related complications, cerebral hemorrhage, and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). The mean patient age and number of cerebrovascular events before closure were 75.2 ± 6.5 years and 1.7 ± 0.7, respectively. All procedures were successfully performed under general anesthesia by transesophageal echocardiography and using a 25-mm Amplatzer Cribriform device. No procedure-related complications occurred. Patients were followed up for a mean 2.6 ± 1.8 years. No patients experienced device-related complications or recurrent cerebrovascular events. However, one patient had AF-related device closure complications at 1 month postoperatively. In addition, other patient had a cerebral hemorrhage with unknown relationship to PFO closure 3 years postoperatively. Percutaneous closure of high-risk PFO in elderly patients may be as effective and safe as in younger patients. It is crucial to evaluate PFO morphology regardless of age in cases of paradoxical embolism.

[Patent foramen ovale with a license to kill]

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is present in about one of four, and one of its dangerous forms (large or associated with atrial septal aneurysm, Eustachian valve, or Chiari network) in one of twenty people. About 140 years ago, the PFO was shown to have the potential to result in death due to stroke and also myocardial infarction. The described decrease of the prevalence of a PFO with age may be a consequence of this. Therefore, it comes somewhat as a surprise that the PFO is taken rather lightly by the medical community. Percutaneous PFO closure with implantable devices has been around for over two decades and since then has proven to be the simplest and safest technique in interventional cardiology. Nonetheless, it is rarely applied and not recommended in current guidelines except for a few situations. Countless nonrandomised comparisons have invariably pointed to a clinical benefit of PFO closure in the secondary prevention of paradoxical cerebral events in patients with or without competitive reasons for stroke. Even a survival benefit of PFO closure was shown in a comparison over 10 years. However, the first three publications of randomised trials were not significant in the protocolled sense. PFO closure did reduce recurrent events compared to medical therapy by up to 80% but the statistical significance postulated was only reached in one of the three trials when the results were analyzed as treated or per predefined subgroups, like patients with atrial septal aneurysm, large PFO, or all PFO closure patients compared to treatment with acetylsalicylic acid only. Recently, a preplanned longer-term analysis of this trial and two additional randomised trials including higher risk PFOs reached the hypothesised statistical significance. This may be a turning point in the attitude towards PFO closure. In addition, PFO closure improves migraine and dyspnoea in certain patients. It appears, though, that it will take time until the full potential of PFO closure will be reflected in respective guidelines and reimbursement algorithms and adequately exploited by referring physicians (mostly neurologists) and interventional cardiologists. This reluctance will continue to cost innumerable preventable strokes, myocardial infarctions, and deaths around the world. The low risk of PFO closure must be weighed against even death if a PFO is left open; it is much more likely that one regrets not having closed a PFO than having closed it.

Patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy for stroke prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Previous randomized trials on patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure versus medical therapy for stroke prevention were inconclusive. Recently, two new randomized trials and new findings from an extended follow-up of a previous trial have been published on this topic. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing PFO closure with medical therapy for stroke prevention.

Methods: PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched until 16 ^th September 2017.  The following search terms were used for PubMed: "patent foramen ovale" AND (stroke OR embolism) and "randomized" AND "Trial". For Cochrane Library, the following terms were used: "patent foramen ovale" AND "closure" AND (stroke OR embolism).

Results: A total of 91 and 55 entries were retrieved from each database using our search strategy respectively, of which six studies on five trials met the inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis included 1829 patients in the PFO closure arm (mean age: 45.3 years; 54% male) and 1972 patients in the medical therapy arm (mean age: 45.1 years; 51% male). The median follow-up duration was 50 ± 30 months. When compared to medical therapy, PFO closure significantly reduced primary endpoint events with a risk ratio [RR] of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.44-0.83, P < 0.0001; I²: 15%). It also reduced stroke (RR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35-0.73, P < 0.0001; I²: 32%) despite increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter (RR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.23-2.93, P < 0.01; I²: 43%). However, it did not reduce transient ischemic accident events (0.75; 95% CI: 0.51-1.10, P = 0.14; I²: 0%), all-cause bleeding (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.44-1.78, P = 0.74; I²: 51%) or gastrointestinal complications (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.32-2.70, P = 0.88; I²: 0%).

Conclusions: PFO closure significantly reduces risk of stroke when compared to medical treatment and should therefore be considered for stroke prevention in PFO patients.

Patent foramen ovale and atrial fibrillation as causes of cryptogenic stroke: is treatment with surgery superior to device closure and anticoagulation? A review of the literature

Closure of persistent foramen ovale (PFO) to avoid cryptogenic strokes is performed globally with enthusiasm but lacks prove of efficacy. We present a 79-year-old man who had had a PFO device introduced nine years previously because of cryptogenic strokes presenting as syncopes. The patient was referred from his general practitioner with two new syncopes. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed no cardiac causes of embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed a misplaced device like an umbrella in a storm, but no septum defects. Holter revealed seconds-long episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF). The patient was successfully treated with anticoagulation.

A literature review showed that: (i) the efficacy of PFO closure devices has not been proven in any trial, but was demonstrated in a meta-analysis comparing three different devices; (ii) PFO devices are rarely controlled by TEE during or after insertion; (iii) residual shunts are detected in up to 45% of cases; (iv) there is an increased rate of post-arrhythmic complications; (v) the risk of AF in congenital heart disease increases with increasing age, with a 13% risk of transient ischemic attacks and stroke; and (vi) surgical treatment of PFO was found to have a 4.1% risk of complications including stroke.

The question to be asked is whether device closure of PFO should be avoided, considering that PFO is a congenital heart defect with risks of AF and (cryptogenic) stroke? Heart surgery should be a treatment option for symptomatic PFO.

Management of patent foramen ovale in patients with cryptogenic stroke: Is device closure superior to medical treatment? A brief review

Background

Recent randomized controlled trial (RCTs) comparing percutaneous closure with antithrombotic treatment in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and cryptogenic stroke revealed inconsistent results. Indeed, there is still no consensus on the management of these patients, namely closure or medical therapy treatment.

Methods

To take stock of the PFO management after cryptogenic stroke, we conducted a literature review that included 16 articles dealing with different therapeutic strategies and long-term outcomes of these results.

Results

The reviewed studies showed great methodological diversity rendering an exhaustive and balanced comparison between studies difficult. Low recurrence rates under prevention regimens, crossovers, procedure- and device-related complications, as well as inappropriate patient selection might explain the inconsistency of trials. However, despite the methodological heterogeneity certain patterns could be detected. It appears that device closure as secondary prevention measure is an effective and safe procedure reducing the recurrence of neurological events in cryptogenic stroke patients <60 years with large PFOs. Standardization of procedures and larger trials are needed to arrive to definitive conclusions.

Conclusion

In cryptogenic stroke patients <60 years with large PFOs, PFO closure seems to be safe and more effective compared to medical treatment alone. For all other patients group, for example, patients >60 years further trials are needed to clarify the role of PFO closure.

Patent foramen ovale closure or medical therapy for secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke: An update meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

It was under debate whether cryptogenic stroke patients benefited from patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. We sought to determine secondary prevention strategy in these patients.

METHODS

Scientific databases were searched for randomized controlled trials enrolling cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO who underwent PFO closure or medical therapy. The random-effect model was used to analyze the outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 6 trials enrolling 3630 participants in this meta-analysis. When compared with medical therapy, PFO closure reduced risks of recurrent stroke (risk ratio [RR] 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29-0.93) and composite of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.46-0.80). And no differences in all-cause death (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.37-1.72) and cardiovascular death (RR 1.47, 95% CI 0.36-5.94) between 2 groups were observed. The risks of major bleeding (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.47-1.96) and any serious adverse event (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.92-1.16) did not differ between 2 groups. Yet, PFO closure increased risk of atrial fibrillation (RR 4.25, 95% CI 2.10-8.60).

CONCLUSION

PFO closure, as compared with medical therapy, was associated with decreased risk of recurrent stroke and increased risk of atrial fibrillation in cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO.

Patent foramen ovale closure for patients with cryptogenic stroke: A systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis of 5 randomized controlled trials and 14 observational studies

BACKGROUND

Previous review from randomized controlled trials (RCT) showed that patients with cryptogenic stroke may benefit from patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. However, the findings from the systematic review were not clear when observational studies were also included.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases. The primary endpoints were recurrent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). The secondary outcomes were all-cause death, atrial fibrillation (AF), and hemorrhagic events.

RESULTS

Five randomized trials and fourteen observational studies (6301 participants) were eligible. PFO closure was superior to medical therapy for stroke prevention risk ratios ([RR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.24-0.60), but showed increased risk of AF (RR, 4.96; 95% CI, 2.31-10.7). There was no significant difference in TIA recurrence, death, and hemorrhagic events. Subgroup analyses showed that patients with factors such as substantial residual shunt, the presence of atrial septal aneurysm (ASA), male, and age <45 years had a lower risk of recurrent stroke when PFOs were closed.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with cryptogenic stroke, PFO closure does appeared to be superior to medical therapy in stroke prevention, with an increased incidence of AF. Male, age <45 years, substantial residual shunt, and the history of ASA are the factors that will predict the benefit when PFO is closed.

Long-term outcomes of patent foramen ovale closure or medical therapy after cryptogenic stroke: A meta-analysis of randomized trials

OBJECTIVES

To examine long-term clinical outcomes with transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure versus medical therapy alone in patients with cryptogenic stroke.

BACKGROUND

A long-standing debate regarding the optimal approach for the management of patients with PFO after a cryptogenic stroke exists.

METHODS

An electronic search was performed for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reporting clinical outcomes with PFO closure vs. medical therapy alone after stroke. Random effects DerSimonian-Laird risk ratios (RR) were calculated. The main outcome was recurrence of stroke. Other outcomes included transient ischemic attack (TIA), new-onset atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL), major bleeding, serious adverse events, and device-related complications. All-cause mortality was also examined.

RESULTS

Five RCTs with a total of 3,440 patients were included. At a mean follow-up of 4.02 ± 1.57 years, PFO closure was associated with less recurrence of stroke (RR = 0.43; 95% CI 0.19-0.91; P = .027) compared with medical therapy alone. No difference was observed between both strategies for TIA (P = .21), major bleeding (P = .69), serious adverse events (P = .35), and all-cause death (P = .48). However, PFO closure, was associated with increased new-onset AF/AFL (P < .001), risk of pulmonary embolism (P = .04), and device-related complications (P < .001). On a subgroup analysis, stroke recurrence rate remained lower in PFO closure arm regardless of the type of closure device used (P_interaction  = .50), or the presence of substantial shunt in the majority of study population (P_interaction  = .13).

CONCLUSIONS

Transcatheter PFO closure reduces the recurrence of stroke compared with medical therapy alone, with no significant safety concerns. Close follow-up of patients after PFO closure is recommended to detect new-onset atrial arrhythmias.

Patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy for prevention of recurrent cryptogenic embolism: updated meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

We performed an updated meta-analysis of all randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) comparing patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure with medical therapy for prevention of recurrent ischemic stroke.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We searched Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases, and proceedings of international meetings for RCTs of patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO comparing percutaneous PFO closure versus medical therapy for prevention of recurrent ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was a composite ischemic/embolic endpoint comprising stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), peripheral embolism, and early death in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary outcomes were all-cause death, stroke, TIA, atrial fibrillation (AF), and major bleeding. Of 3440 enrolled patients across five RCTs, 1829 were allocated to PFO closure and 1611 to medical therapy. The follow-up ranged from 2 to 5.9 years. PFO closure reduced the risk of the composite outcome [HR 0.52, (0.36-0.77); p < 0.01], and stroke, [HR 0.39, (0.19-0.83); p < 0.01], and increased the risk of AF [OR 3.75, (2.44-5.78); p < 0.01] as compared to medical therapy. NNT for stroke was 37 and NNH for AF 49, indicating a net clinical benefit of PFO closure. The meta-analysis had 95% power to detect a 50% relative risk reduction (RRR) in the primary outcome and 89% power to detect a 70% RRR in ischemic stroke. The risk of all-cause death (HR 1.08, p = 0.90), TIA [HR 0.73, (0.49-1.09); p = 0.12], and major bleeding [OR 0.97, (0.44-2.17); p = 0.95] was comparable between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO, percutaneous closure of PFO is superior to medical therapy in preventing recurrent ischemic/embolic events and stroke but is associated with an increased risk of AF.

Percutaneous closure versus medical therapy for stroke with patent foramen Ovale: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure has emerged as a secondary prevention option in patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke. However, the comparative efficacy and safety of percutaneous closure and medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO remain unclear.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies that compared PFO closure against medical therapy, each with a minimal of 20 patients in the closure arm and 1-year follow-up were included.

RESULTS

We analyzed 6961 patients from 20 studies (5 RCTs and 15 observational studies) with a median follow-up of 3.1 years. Moderate-quality evidence showed that PFO closure was associated with a significantly lower incidence of the composite outcome of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or all-cause death (odds ratio [OR]: 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.38 to 0.85; P = 0.006), mainly driven by lower incidence of stroke (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.63; P < 0.001). The numbers needed to treat were 43 and 39 for the composite outcome and recurrent ischemic stroke respectively. PFO closure increased the risks for atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (OR: 5.74; 95% CI: 3.08 to 10.70; P < 0.001; high-quality evidence) and pulmonary embolism (OR: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.06 to 8.63; P = 0.038; moderate-quality evidence), with the numbers needed to harm being 30 and 143 respectively. The risks for TIA, all-cause death, and major bleeding were not statistically different. Analyses limited to RCTs showed similar findings, as did a series of other subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, PFO closure reduced the incidences of stroke and the composite outcome of ischemic stroke, TIA, or all-cause death, but increased risks for atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter and pulmonary embolism compared with medical therapy.

Patent foramen ovale closure versus medical therapy for stroke prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Previous randomized trials on patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure versus medical therapy for stroke prevention were inconclusive. Recently, two new randomized trials and new findings from an extended follow-up of a previous trial have been published on this topic. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing PFO closure with medical therapy for stroke prevention. Methods: PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched until 16 th September 2017.  The following search terms were used for PubMed: "patent foramen ovale" AND (stroke OR embolism) and "randomized" AND "Trial". For Cochrane Library, the following terms were used: "patent foramen ovale" AND "closure" AND (stroke OR embolism). Results: A total of 91 and 55 entries were retrieved from each database using our search strategy respectively, of which six studies on five trials met the inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis included 1829 patients in the PFO closure arm (mean age: 45.3 years; 54% male) and 1972 patients in the medical therapy arm (mean age: 45.1 years; 51% male). The median follow-up duration was 50 ± 30 months. When compared to medical therapy, PFO closure significantly reduced primary endpoint events with a risk ratio [RR] of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.44-0.83, P < 0.0001; I 2: 15%). It also reduced stroke (RR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.35-0.73, P < 0.0001; I 2: 32%) despite increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter (RR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.23-2.93, P < 0.01; I 2: 43%). However, it did not reduce transient ischemic accident events (0.75; 95% CI: 0.51-1.10, P = 0.14; I 2: 0%), all-cause bleeding (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.44-1.78, P = 0.74; I 2: 51%) or gastrointestinal complications (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.32-2.70, P = 0.88; I 2: 0%). Conclusions: PFO closure significantly reduces risk of stroke when compared to medical treatment and should therefore be considered for stroke prevention in PFO patients.

D-dimer for prediction of long-term outcome in cryptogenic stroke patients with patent foramen ovale

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a potential cause of cryptogenic stroke, given the possibility of paradoxical embolism from venous to systemic circulation. D-dimer level is used to screen venous thrombosis. We investigated the risk of embolism and mortality according to the presence of PFO and D-dimer levels in cryptogenic stroke patients. A total of 570 first-ever cryptogenic stroke patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography were included in this study. D-dimer was assessed using latex agglutination assay during admission. The association of long-term outcomes with the presence of PFO and D-dimer levels was investigated. PFO was detected in 241 patients (42.3 %). During a mean 34.0 ± 22.8 months of follow-up, all-cause death occurred in 58 (10.2 %) patients, ischaemic stroke in 33 (5.8 %), and pulmonary thromboembolism in 6 (1.1 %). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a D-dimer level of > 1,000 ng/ml was an independent predictor for recurrent ischaemic stroke in patients with PFO (hazard ratio 5.341, 95 % confidence interval 1.648–17.309, p=0.005), but not in those without PFO. However, in patients without PFO, a D-dimer level of > 1,000 ng/ml was independently related with all-cause mortality. The risk of pulmonary thromboembolism tended to be high in patients with high D-dimer levels, regardless of PFO. Elevated D-dimer levels in cryptogenic stroke were predictive of the long-term outcome, which differed according to the presence of PFO. The coexistence of PFO and a high D-dimer level increased the risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke. The D-dimer test in cryptogenic stroke patients may be useful for predicting outcomes and deciding treatment strategy.

Patent foramen ovale closure to prevent secondary neurologic events

In October of 2016 the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the Amplatzer Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) occluder device for use in patients with cryptogenic stroke, to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke. This event followed 15years of off-label use of atrial septal occluder devices, 3 randomized trials, and enormous controversy over the efficacy of this procedure. While none of the trials reached the primary endpoint needed to prove the efficacy of PFO closure in preventing recurrent stroke, meta-analyses and 5-year follow-up of 1 trial suggest that PFO closure decreases the risk of recurrent stroke, especially in sub-groups with large shunts and atrial septal aneurysms, and especially when the Amplatzer device (rather than other devices) is used. While the relative reduction in stroke associated with PFO closure is large (about 50%), the absolute reduction is low (1-2%) and must be balanced against complications of the procedure (about 3%). Thus, PFO closure is restricted to patients with cryptogenic stroke, and depends heavily on patients' personal preferences. Uncertainties about the etiology of stroke in patients with PFO and the efficacy of PFO closure cause a difficult problem for the internal medicine specialist. At one extreme the internist may wonder if every patient with a documented PFO should be referred to a cardiologist. At the other extreme, supported by specialty society guidelines, internists may conclude that PFO closure is rarely necessary. In this paper we review the current status of PFO closure and suggest a rational strategy for this procedure.