Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale in patients with platypnea-orthodeoxia

Platypnea-orthodeoxia is a rare syndrome characterized by the occurrence of dyspnea and hypoxemia on adoption of an upright posture (i.e., orthodeoxia) and by the absence of symptoms and hypoxemia in decubitus. This syndrome is frequently related to patent foramen ovale and right-to-left shunting. We describe two patients in whom patent foramen ovale with right-to-left shunting was observed on transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and who had platypnea-orthodeoxia in the absence of pulmonary disease. They underwent transcatheter closure using an Amplatz device. The echocardiographic diagnosis and closure procedure are discussed. These case reports demonstrate that closure of patent foramen ovale is an effective treatment for platypnea-orthodeoxia.     

卵圆孔未闭封堵治疗隐源性脑卒中预防复发效果的meta分析

目的 卵圆孔未闭（PFO）封堵治疗隐源性脑卒中效果的meta分析。 方法 通过Web of Science，EMBASE，PubMed和Cochrane图书馆等数据库进行了以药物对照的随机对照试验的相关检索。主要终点是复发性卒中和短暂性脑缺血发作（TIA）。 提取原始数据、风险比（HR）及95%置信区间（95%CI）的数值用以计算汇总效应大小。 结果 Meta分析发现，在PFO患者缺血性脑卒中和（或）TIA的预防上，在意向性人群中封堵器组要明显优于药物治疗组（HR = 0.47，95% CI: 0.27-0.84，I2 = 55.4%，P<0.01）。随访期间封堵器组的全因死亡率较药物治疗组差异无统计学意义（OR = 0.83，95% CI: 0.37 - 1.85，I2 = 21.8%，P = 0.655）。在封堵器组患者中，发生新发房颤的风险较药物治疗组显著增加（OR = 5.44，95% CI: 2.92 - 10.15，I2 = 35.3%，P<0.01）。meta分析结果亦表明，在大量分流的患者中，经封堵器治疗后，卒中的复发率较药物治疗组显著减少（OR = 0.31，95% CI: 0.14 - 0.69，I2=0，P < 0.01）。而在与药物治疗相比中，PFO并发房间隔膨出瘤（ASA）的患者亦明显受益于封堵器治疗（OR = 0.44，95% CI: 0.23-0.81，I 2 = 63.3%，P<0.01）。 结论 与单纯药物治疗相比,PFO封堵治疗隐匿性脑卒中患者复发脑卒中的风险明显减低。在有大量分流和房间隔膨出瘤的患者中，PFO封堵的获益更大。PFO的封堵与新发心房颤动的发生率较高有关。      

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.     

卵圆孔未闭并发不明原因脑卒中患者封堵治疗的疗效和安全性

目的:探讨封堵治疗卵圆孔未闭(patent foramen ovale,PFO)并发不明原因缺血性脑卒中患者的临床疗效及安全性。方法:26例缺血性脑卒中患者,均经头颅CT或磁共振成像(MRI)证实有脑梗死病灶,排除其他脑梗死原因,如主动脉和脑血管病变,及左心系统疾病等。经颅多普勒超声(TCD)声学造影判断有右向左分流,经胸超声心动图(TTE)和(或)经食管超声心动图(TEE)证实为PFO或PFO并发房间隔瘤。所有患者均行PFO封堵治疗。结果:26例患者,静息超声测量PFO大小为1.0~4.6(2.8±1.2)mm,其中5例PFO并发房间隔瘤。TCD声学造影分流量Ⅰ级6例,Ⅱ级9例,Ⅲ级以上11例。24例封堵成功,技术成功率为92%,所用封堵器18 mm 6个、25 mm7个、30 mm 8个及35 mm 3个。未成功病例2例,主要原因为导丝无法到达左房。术后随访6个月~1年,TTE检查未见封堵器移位及心房水平残余分流,TCD声学造影检查均无右向左分流,所有患者无再发缺血性脑梗死。结论:经导管封堵PFO是一种安全有效的治疗方法,可有效减少缺血性脑卒中的再发生。     

Comparison of medical treatment with percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale in patients with cryptogenic stroke

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of medical treatment with percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO). BACKGROUND: Patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO are at risk for recurrent cerebrovascular events. METHODS: We compared the risk of recurrence in 308 patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO, who were treated either medically (158 patients) or underwent percutaneous PFO closure (150 patients) between 1994 and 2000. RESULTS: Patients undergoing percutaneous PFO closure had a larger right-to-left shunt (p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38 to 3.07) and were more likely to have suffered more than one cerebrovascular event (p = 0.03; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.71). At four years of follow-up, percutaneous PFO closure resulted in a non-significant trend toward risk reduction of death, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) combined (8.5% vs. 24.3%; p = 0.05; 95% CI 0.23 to 1.01), and of recurrent stroke or TIA (7.8% vs. 22.2%; p = 0.08; 95% CI 0.23 to 1.11) compared with medical treatment. Patients with more than one cerebrovascular event at baseline and those with complete occlusion of PFO were at lower risk for recurrent stroke or TIA after percutaneous PFO closure compared with medically treated patients (7.3% vs. 33.2%; p = 0.01; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.81, and 6.5% vs. 22.2%; p = 0.04; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.99, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous PFO closure appears at least as effective as medical treatment for prevention of recurrent cerebrovascular events in cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO. It might be more effective than medical treatment in patients with complete closure and more than one cerebrovascular event.     

Clinical and brain magnetic resonance imaging follow-up after percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale in patients with cryptogenic stroke

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is reported to result in fewer episodes of clinically manifest recurrent cerebral ischemia than medical treatment. We evaluated by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) whether silent cerebral ischemic episodes are also decreased by PFO closure. Seventy-one patients with PFO were selected for percutaneous closure of PFO at our center. All had PFO with large right-to-left shunt documented by transcranial Doppler ultrasound and transesophageal echocardiography, > or =1 previous stroke or transient ischemic attack with MRI documentation at the index event, and no alternative cause for cerebral ischemia. MRI studies were performed in all patients 24 hours before the procedure and at 1-year follow-up (or before in the case of a suspected new neurologic event). Eight patients (11%) had >1 clinical event before the procedure. Comparing the 2 MRI studies before the procedure, silent ischemic lesions were observed in 14 other patients (20%). Thus, considering clinical and silent events together, >1 event was present at baseline in 22 patients (31%). After PFO closure (follow-up 16 +/- 7 months), 1 recurrent neurologic event occurred (1%, p = 0.02 vs preprocedural clinical events); however, urgent brain MRI results were negative. Moreover, only 1 patient showed 1 new silent lesion at brain MRI at follow-up (1%, p <0.001 vs preprocedural silent brain lesions). Considering clinical and silent events, relapses occurred in 2 patients only (p <0.001 vs before procedure). Recurrent events were limited to those with incomplete PFO closure at postprocedural transcranial Doppler ultrasound (p = 0.02). In conclusion, percutaneous PFO closure results in few clinical or silent events after 1-year follow-up, especially when complete PFO closure is successfully accomplished.     

Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale

AIM: To review the safety and efficacy of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in symptomatic patients without the use of general anaesthesia or echocardiographic guidance. METHOD: All patients accepted for percutaneous PFO closure by our service from August 2002 to August 2004 were included. Patient demographics and clinical information were obtained from clinical records and by telephone interview. Follow-up outcomes recorded were recurrence of systemic thromboembolism, residual shunt, and change in pattern of migraines. RESULTS: Forty consecutive adult patients, of whom 19 (48%) had an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA), underwent PFO closure using the Amplatzer occluder device with fluoroscopic guidance alone. Their mean age was 45 +/- 10 years (range 23-63 years) and 24 (60%) were male. The indications for closure were ischaemic stroke (n = 26), transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (n = 8), both stroke and TIA (n = 2), refractory hypoxia (n = 2), platypnoea-orthodeoxia (n = 1) and severe migraine with seizures (n = 1). Twenty patients suffered a single neurological event and 16 suffered >1 event, including six with only radiographic evidence of >1 event. Mean procedure time was 17.7 +/- 9.6 min and fluoroscopy time was 6.7 +/- 7.3 min. Implanted device sizes were 18 mm (n = 1), 25 mm (n = 37) and 35 mm (n = 2). In 33 patients, the procedure was performed as a day-case. No complications were encountered. No further neurological events occurred in 39 patients at a mean follow-up time of 11 +/- 7 months (3-25 months) nor was a significant shunt detected in the 34 who underwent follow-up echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous closure of PFO with or without ASA, under local anaesthesia and without echocardiographic guidance, is a safe and effective procedure which can be performed as a day-case. This has now become our standard clinical practice.     

Patent foramen ovale: current state of the art

Patent foramen ovale is a congenital cardiac lesion that persists into adulthood and which is present in over 25% of the adult population. Its diagnosis, evaluation and treatment have attracted increasing interest as it has been suggested that it may be associated with various pathologic conditions, such as cryptogenic stroke, platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, decompression sickness and migraine. However, data on these associations are contradictory. Similarly, the optimum treatment of patients with patent foramen ovale is still debated. This article contains a review of the anatomy, embryology and epidemiology of the condition, its association with other clinical disorders, and current therapeutic options.     

Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale in symptomatic patients

BACKGROUND: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) have been associated with stroke in young adults. Patients with PFO suffering from paradoxical embolism are at increased risk for recurrent events. Percutaneous PFO closure is a new treatment modality aimed at secondary prevention. METHODS AND RESULTS: Since April 1994, 132 consecutive patients, aged 51 +/- 12 years with PFO and with at least one paradoxical embolic event, underwent percutaneous PFO closure using six different device types. The embolic index event was an ischemic stroke in 62% of patients, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 33% of patients, and a peripheral embolism in 5% of patients. Thirty-six (27%) patients had PFO associated with ASA, whereas 96 (73%) patients had PFO only. The implantation procedure was successful in 130 (98%) patients. During and up to 6 years of follow-up (mean 1.8 +/- 1.6 years, 231 patient years), a total of eight recurrent embolic events were observed, with six TIAs, two peripheral emboli, and no ischemic stroke. The actuarial freedom from recurrence of the combined end point of TIA, ischemic stroke, and peripheral embolism was 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.0%-96.4%) at 1 year and 90.5% (95% CI, 83.6%-97.2%) at 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous PFO closure can be performed with a high success rate. The procedure appears a promising therapeutic modality for secondary prevention of recurrent embolism in patients with PFO. Randomized trials must define its therapeutic value.     

卵圆孔未闭合并不明原因脑卒中的药物治疗

卵圆孔未闭(patent foramen ovale,PFO)是一种先天性心脏病变,超过25%的成人均存在PFO。PFO可能与多种病理情况有关,包括不明原因脑卒中(cryptogenic stroke,CS)、斜卧呼吸-直立型低氧血症、减压病、偏头痛等,其诊断、评估和治疗已经越来越引起人们的重视。但是,有关其治疗方法的选择目前仍在争议中,虽然尚未得到美国食品和药物管理局(FDA)的批准,经导管封堵PFO的方法在继续。其潜在的并发症包括封堵器表面血栓形成,术后房颤、残余分流,封堵器侵蚀或穿孔等。鉴于PFO封堵术与任何心脏干预一样可能引起极严重的并发症,药物治疗似乎是安全、有效的选择。本文主要综述了PFO并发CS的药物治疗,旨在为临床医生对PFO并发CS的药物选择提供理论依据。     

Electrocardiographic findings in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke and patent foramen ovale

Background

A characteristic electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern called crochetage has been described in patients with atrial septal defects. Nevertheless, there are discrepancies regarding its frequency in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Objective

We analyzed the ECGs of patients who had cryptogenic stroke to study crochetage and other possible patterns in relation to PFO.

Methods

We prospectively included consecutive patients who have had a cryptogenic stroke and are undergoing a right-to-left shunt (RLS) study with transesophageal echocardiography and simultaneous transcranial Doppler. Two blinded and independent cardiologists analyzed the ECGs for crochetage, defined as a notch near the apex of the R wave in inferior limb leads, P wave abnormalities, and right bundle branch block (RBBB).

Results

We studied 104 patients whose mean age was 55.1 ± 12.7 years; 60.6% were men. PFO was detected in 40.4% of patients. Cardiologists recorded crochetage in 26.2% of patients with PFO and 14.5% of patients without PFO (P = .204) and RBBB in 19% and 8% of patients, respectively (P = .132). P wave abnormalities were also detected in 54.8% of patients with PFO and 35.5% of patients without PFO (P = .070). In patients with PFO, biphasic P waves were more frequent in small RLS (P = .006). Although higher frequencies of crochetage in small RLS and RBBB in moderate RLS were detected, these differences did not reach statistical significance (P = .067 and P = .05, respectively).

Conclusion

There is no characteristic ECG pattern to identify the patients with cryptogenic stroke.     

Transcatheter closure versus medical therapy of patent foramen ovale and cryptogenic stroke.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of device closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) versus antiplatelet therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS). BACKGROUND: There are no controlled data to support the therapeutic value of PFO closure with a device compared to medical treatment in patients with CS. METHODS: We performed a nonrandomized, prospective, patient preference case series comparing the recurrence rate in 92 patients with PFO and CS who were treated either with antiplatelet agents (44 patients) or underwent catheter closure (48 patients) using the Amplatzer PFO occluder (APFOO). All patients completed a 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: PFO closure group. Immediate complete closure (CC) was observed in 44/48 (91%) patients. Four (9%) patients had a minimal residual shunt immediately after the procedure. One patient developed hemopericardium that was successfully managed by pericardiocentesis. No other complication was observed. Follow-up. PFO closure group. Contrast bubble study at 6-month follow-up confirmed CC in all 48 patients. No complications were observed. Antiplatelet therapy group. Three (6%) and 6 (13%) patients had a major and minor hemorrhagic event, respectively. The average incidence of embolic events/year was 0 and 14.75% for the PFO closure group and the antiplatelet therapy group, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PFO closure using the APFOO is a rational alternative to medical treatment in patients with CS. Larger randomized clinical trials are required to support the use of this device over the other PFO occluders and medical therapy.