Cardiac sources of embolic cerebral infarction in transesophageal echocardiography

Transesophageal echocardiogram in the evaluation of acute ischemic stroke of young adults

INTRODUCTION:

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the young age (≤50 years) is a major cause of disability. The underlying mechanism of AIS in this age group is usually different from elderly. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is used to detect the potential cardiac sources of embolism in AIS patients. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TEE) is superior to detect specific underlying cardio-aortic source of embolism when compared to TTE. We aim to evaluate the diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact of TEE in AIS of young adults.

METHODS:

We retrospectively reviewed the consecutive patients with AIS in our comprehensive center in a 5-year period from our prospectively collected registry. We selected patients with age ≤50 years who had acute infarcts on brain magnetic resonance imaging or head computed tomography and underwent TEE as part of their diagnostic workup. Demographic details including, age, gender, body mass index, cardiovascular risk factors profile, and TEE findings were collected.

RESULTS:

Among a total 7,930 patients, 876 (11.04%) were found to be ≤50 years old. Among those, TEE was done in 113 patients (12.8%) in addition to TTE. Those who underwent TEE had a mean age of 40.4 ± 7.9 years, 60 were male (53%), 7 (6.2%) had a history of coronary artery disease, 38 (33%) had a history of diabetes, and 45 (40%) had a history of smoking. TEE showed new abnormal findings in a total of 15 patients (13.2%) that were not reported in their TTEs. Out of these, left atrial appendage thrombus was found in 5, infective endocarditis in 4, atrial septal aneurysms associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO) in 3, and spontaneous mobile echo density in three patients. Overall, new findings from TEE resulted in change in the secondary stroke prevention strategy in 14 patients of those who underwent TEE (12.3%). TEE also confirmed the presence of PFO, which was present on TTE with bubble study in 20 (17.6%) patients.

CONCLUSION:

TEE may provide additional information in the evaluation of the AIS in young adults, which could lead to change of the secondary stroke prevention strategy.

Evaluation of transesophageal echocardiography in detecting cardiac sources of emboli in ischemic stroke patients

BACKGROUND

Embolus is one of the causes of ischemic stroke that can be due to cardiac sources such as valvular heart diseases and atrial fibrillation and atheroma of the aorta. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is superior in identifying potential cardiac sources of emboli. Due to insufficient data on TEE findings in ischemic stroke in Iran, the present study was done to evaluate TEE in detecting cardiac sources of emboli. The main aim of this study was to describe the cardiogenic sources of emboli using TEE in the ischemic stroke patients.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study conducted during a 13-month period from January 2012 to February 2013 in Shiraz Nemazee teaching hospital. Patients admitted with stroke diagnosis were included; but hemorrhagic stroke cases were excluded. 229 patients with ischemic stroke diagnosis were included and underwent TEE.

RESULTS

Causes of cardiac emboli were detected in 65 cases (40.7%) and categorized to high-risk (29.7%) and potential risk (11%). High risk cardiac sources included atrial fibrillation (8.7%), mitral valve disease (MS or MI) 11 cases (4.75%), aortic valve disease (AS or AI) 8 (3.5%), prosthetic valve 3 (1.35%), dilated cardiomyopathy 45 (19.65%) and congestive heart failure with ejection fraction < 30% in 8 cases (3.5%). Potential cardiac sources of emboli comprised 7 cases (3.05%) of septal aneurysm, 4 (1.75%) left ventricular hypokinesia, 13 (5.7%) mitral annular calcification and 9 cases (3.95%) complex atheroma in the ascending aorta or proximal arch.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that high risk cardiac sources of emboli can be detected using TEE in a considerable percentage of ischemic stroke patients. The most common high risk cardiac etiologies were dilated cardiomyopathy and valvular heart diseases.