Population-based study of the relationship between atherosclerotic aortic debris and cerebrovascular ischemic events

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of the suggestion that protruding atheromatous material in the thoracic aorta is an important cause of cerebrovascular ischemic events (CIEs) (ie, transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke). METHODS: This case-control study of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) from 1993 to 1997 included controls without CIE randomly selected from the population, controls without CIE referred for TEE because of cardiac disease, cases with incident CIE of obvious cause (noncryptogenic), and cases with incident CIE of uncertain cause (cryptogenic). RESULTS: Of the 1135 subjects, 520 were randomly selected controls without CIE, 329 were controls without CIE referred for TEE, 159 were noncryptogenic CIE cases, and 127 were cryptogenic CIE cases. Complex atherosclerotic aortic debris in ascending and transverse segments of the arch was detected in 8 randomly selected controls (1.5%), 13 referred controls (4.0%), and 15 noncryptogenic (9.4%) and 4 cryptogenic (3.1%) CIE cases. After adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, smoking, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, and atherosclerosis other than in the thoracic aorta, complex atherosclerotic aortic debris was not significantly associated with group status. With randomly selected controls as the referent group, odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.72 (0.61-4.87) for referred controls, 3.16 (1.18-8.51) for noncryptogenic CIE cases, and 1.39 (0.39-4.88) for cryptogenic CIE cases. CONCLUSIONS: Complex atherosclerotic aortic debris is not a risk factor for cryptogenic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack but is a marker for generalized atherosclerosis and well-established atherosclerotic and cardioembolic mechanisms of cerebral ischemia. Embolization from the aorta is not a common mechanism of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.     

右心声学造影与经颅多普勒发泡试验诊断隐源性卒中患者卵圆孔未闭的对比研究

目的：探讨右心声学造影(c-TTE)及经颅多普勒发泡试验(c-TCD)对隐源性卒中患者并卵圆孔未闭(PFO)的诊断价值。方法：选取2020年1月～2022年12月在我院诊治的隐源性卒中患者102例,均行c-TCD及c-TTE检查,以经食管超声心动图(TEE)作为诊断金标准,比较c-TTE、c-TCD检查对隐源性卒中患者PFO的诊断价值。结果：TEE检查证实102例隐匿性卒中患者有44例PFO,c-TCD检查结果显示,真阳性36例,假阳性10例,假阴性8例,真阴性48例;c-TTE检查结果显示,真阳性42例,假阳性3例,假阴性2例,真阴性55例。受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析显示,c-TCD检查、c-TTE诊断隐匿性卒中患者PFO的AUC分别为0.823,0.951,c-TCD检查诊断隐源性卒中患者PFO的敏感度、特异度、准确率分别为81.82%、82.76%、82.35%,明显低于c-TTE检查的95.45%、94.83%、95.10%(P<0.05)。c-TCD检查对右向左分流半定量分级低于c-TTE(P<0.05),c-TCD检查对右向左分流的检出率为30.39%,明显低于c-TTE的58.82%(P<0.05)。结论：与c-TCD检查相比较,c-TTE对隐源性卒中患者PFO具有更高的诊断价值,且对隐源性卒中PFO患者的右向左分流半定量分级程度更高、检出率更高。     

Impact of Patent Foramen Ovale Anatomic Features on Right-to-Left Shunt in Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the morphologic characteristics of patent foramen ovale (PFO) on right-to-left shunt (RLS) in patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke using transesophageal echocardiography and saline contrast transthoracic echocardiography (c-TTE). Of the 165 patients with PFO stroke, both the height and the length of PFO in the provoked RLS group were smaller than those in the constant RLS group. PFO height, interatrial septum mobility and proportion of atrial septal aneurysms were greater in the severe RLS group than in the mild and moderate RLS groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that PFO height and interatrial septum mobility were independent predictors of severe RLS. Multiple territorial ischemic lesions were more common in the severe RLS or constant RLS group. Our findings indicated that the severity of RLS was related to the anatomic features in PFO, inducing different cerebral ischemia lesion patterns in cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO.     

经颅多普勒超声诊断脑梗死患者卵圆孔未闭的价值

目的探讨经颅多普勒超声微泡实验对脑梗死患者卵圆孔未闭(PFO)的诊断价值。方法运用经颅多普勒超声微泡实验对经食管超声心动图诊断的28例缺血性脑卒中患者进行PFO检测,分析不同卵圆孔特点下经颅多普勒超声微泡实验对PFO诊断检出率的变化。结果 28例患者中,经颅多普勒超声微泡实验在平静呼吸状态下对PFO检出20例(71.43%),配合Valsalva动作后检出24例(85.71%)。卵圆孔大小及开放状态与PFO的检出率无关(P>0.05)。结论经颅多普勒超声微泡实验对脑梗死患者的PFO的诊断具有较高敏感性,配合Valsalva动作可以提高诊断敏感性,可以作为PFO的筛查手段。     

经食管超声心动图联合PLR、NLR对卵圆孔未闭合并隐源性卒中患者的诊断价值

目的  探讨经食道心脏超声(TEE)联合血小板/淋巴细胞比值(PLR)、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值(NLR)在卵圆孔未闭(PFO)患者合并隐源性卒中的评估应用。方法  选取本院2019年8月~2021年8月收治的卵圆孔未闭患者132例,其中合并隐源性卒中23例。所有患者均接受TEE检测,测量PFO直径,并行血常规检测,根据血小板、淋巴细胞、中性粒细胞计数计算PLR、NLR比值,比较PFO合并隐源性卒中和未合并隐源性卒中PLR、NLR比值的差异性,采用Spearman法分析PFO直径、PLR、NLR与PFO合并隐源性卒中的相关性,采用ROC曲线分析PFO直径和PLR、NLR检测在卵圆孔未闭合并隐源性卒中的评估价值。结果  TEE检测发现PFO未合并隐元性卒中患者PFO直径低于合并隐源性卒中(P < 0.05),造影可见房水平不同级别的右向左分流;PFO患者合并隐源性卒中PLR、NLR比值高于未合并隐源性卒中患者(P < 0.05);Spearman分析显示：PFO直径及PLR、NLR比值与PFO合并隐源性卒中风险呈正相关关系(r=0.385、0.429、0.378,P < 0.05);ROC曲线显示：PFO直径联合PLR、NLR评估PFO合并隐源性卒中风险曲线下面积高于PLR、NLR单项指标曲线下面积(P < 0.05)。结论  TEE可以较好地分辨PFO直径,结合PLR、NLR检测有助于评估PFO合并隐源性卒中的发生风险。     

超声心动图诊断卵圆孔未闭

卵圆孔未闭（PFO）在成人的发生率约20%~25%,其与年轻患者的隐源性卒中、短暂性脑缺血发等多种疾病有关。超声心动图在PFO的诊断、经皮封堵术中监测及术后随访中均有重要价值。本文对PFO的超声心动图诊断做一综述。     

Intra-atrial thrombus after surgical closure of patent foramen ovale.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) represents a potential path for paradoxical embolism and is associated with cryptogenic stroke. It has been suggested that because a PFO represents a repairable lesion (by surgical or transcatheter methods), repair may be the optimal treatment to prevent recurrent stroke. This report describes a patient with recurrent neurologic and peripheral embolic events, which occurred approximately 6 months after the surgical closure of a PFO. The diagnosis of an intra-atrial thrombus with a small residual PFO was made by subsequent transesophageal echocardiography. Thrombus formation at the closure site needs to be considered in a patient with recurrent embolic events after closure of a PFO.     

经胸和经食管超声心动图诊断卵圆孔未闭的对比研究

目的 对比研究经胸超声心动图TTE和经食管超声心动图TEE对卵圆孔未闭(patent foramen ovale，PFO)的诊断方法和诊断价值，及对卵圆孔未闭的临床意义。方法 运用经胸及经食管超声心动图检查，诊断卵圆孔未闭24例，根据患者有无合并其他心脏疾患及合并的心脏疾患的血流动力学特点将患者分为卵圆孔未闭组及卵圆孔开放组。结果 经胸超声心动图通过CDFI观察房水平的穿隔血流对卵圆孔未闭的诊断准确率为58．3％。经食管超声心动图检查能对所有患者做出正确诊断。卵圆孔未闭组可见卵圆孔瓣上缘与继发隔之间裂缝，CDFI显示源于卵圆孔瓣与继发隔交界边缘处的穿隔血流；卵圆孔开放组可见卵圆孔瓣上缘与继发隔之间出现回声缺失，但卵圆孔瓣尚完整，CDFI于缺口处探及垂直于房间隔的穿隔分流束。结论 经食管超声心动图是目前卵圆孔未闭诊断金标准的首选方法。卵圆孔未闭可导致反常栓塞，应予以积极治疗。     

Persisting eustachian valve in adults: relation to patent foramen ovale and cerebrovascular events.

BACKGROUND: The eustachian valve (EV) (valvula venae cavae inferioris) is a remnant of the embryonic right valve of the sinus venosus. Embryologically, the EV directs oxygenated blood from the inferior vena cava across the patent foramen ovale (PFO) into the systemic circulation. Transthoracic echocardiography shows the EV in the majority of newborns, but the prevalence of EV in adults studied with transesophageal echocardiography is unknown. We studied whether the presence of an EV is associated with PFO or with cryptogenic stroke. METHODS: The frequency and size of the EV was studied in 211 consecutive patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography after a cryptogenic stroke and in 95 consecutive patients without cerebrovascular events. In all 306 patients, the presence of a PFO was studied with 2-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic, color Doppler, and contrast echocardiographic studies. RESULTS: An EV was seen in 174 of 306 patients overall (57%). The mean size was 1.0 +/- 0.4 cm (range: 0.5-2.0); 70% of patients with an EV had a PFO (Cohen's kappa = 0.75; P <.001). This relationship was not significantly influenced by a cryptogenic stroke. The prevalence of PFO was 30% in the control group and 61% for those with presumed paradoxical embolism (P <.001). Thus, an EV was more common for patients with presumed paradoxical embolism than in control patients (143 of 211 68% vs 31 of 95 33%, respectively, P <.001). There was no significant difference in the size of the EV between the 2 groups (1.1 vs 1.0 cm; P =.24). CONCLUSION: A persisting EV is a frequent finding in patients with a PFO. By directing the blood from the inferior cava to the interatrial septum, a persisting EV may prevent spontaneous closure of PFO after birth and may, therefore, indirectly predispose to paradoxical embolism.     

Patent Foramen Ovale: Pivotal Role of Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Indications for Closure,Assessment of Varying Anatomies and Post-procedure Follow-up

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is present in 15%–30% of the general population and has been associated with various pathologic states, including cryptogenic stroke, platypnea–orthodeoxia syndrome, decompression sickness and migraine with auras. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has a major role in the diagnostic evaluation of PFO, as well as in the post-procedural assessment after transcatheter closure. The goals of this article were to synthesize the echocardiographic transesophageal techniques required for accurate PFO diagnosis and careful anatomic assessment of its anatomic variants, to focus TEE indications for device closure as complementary to clinical indications and to assess the role of TEE in the post-procedure follow-up.     

Patent foramen ovale: a nonfunctional embryological remnant or a potential cause of significant pathology?

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an embryological remnant found in 27% of adults. It is a potential right-to-left intracardiac shunt. Shunting may be the result of reversal in the interatrial pressure gradient or abnormal streaming of blood in the right atrium. The pathologic consequences of right-to-left shunting include hypoxemia and paradoxical embolism. PFO may exacerbate preexisting hypoxemia or be its primary cause. Paradoxical embolism through a PFO is well documented. Its role in cryptogenic stroke remains controversial. A PFO may be detected by both invasive and noninvasive techniques. Contrast transesophageal echocardiography with provocative maneuvers is the diagnostic method of choice allowing visualization of the shunt. Patients with cryptogenic stroke should be screened for a PFO. If detected, noninvasive studies for deep vein thrombosis are recommended. Treatment must be tailored to the presentation. Surgical or transcatheter closure is recommended for hypoxemia. Prevention of venous embolism (air or thrombus) with or without closure of the PFO is recommended for paradoxical embolism.     

经颅多普勒发泡试验筛查缺血性卒中合并卵圆孔未闭的应用价值

目的探讨经颅多普勒发泡试验(c-TCD)筛查缺血性卒中合并卵圆孔未闭(PFO)的应用价值。方法收集我院神经内科450例缺血性卒中患者,均给予经食管心脏超声(TEE)、右心声学造影、c-TCD检查。观察c-TCD、TEE联合经右心声学造影检查PFO的阳性率。将TEE联合经右心声学造影检查结果视为PFO诊断的"金标准",计算c-TCD的阳性预测值、阴性预测值、灵敏度、特异度及准确率。结果 TEE联合经右心声学造影检查显示,阳性为72例,阳性率为16.00%,即450例患者中,PFO的发生率为16.00%;c-TCD检查显示,65例清晰可见微栓子信号,阳性率为14.44%,c-TCD与TEE联合经右心声学造影检查阳性率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);c-TCD相对于TEE联合经右心声学造影的阳性预测值为96.92%、阴性预测值为97.66%、灵敏度为87.50%、特异度为99.47%、准确率为97.56%、一致性Kappa值为0.837。结论 c-TCD在筛查诊断缺血性卒中合并PFO中具有灵敏度、特异度、准确率高的特点,且无创、安全,易于患者接受,可考虑将c-TCD作为PFO的无创初筛手段,针对阳性患者再进一步做TEE+经右心声学造影检查确诊,以减轻患者的痛苦。     

超声心动图在卵圆孔未闭封堵中的应用及卵圆孔未闭分流方向的探讨

目的探讨超声心动图在卵圆孔未闭(PFO)治疗中的应用价值.方法 7例封堵治疗PFO患者,术前经胸(TTE)或经食管超声心动图(TEE)明确PFO诊断,术中TTE和X线引导监护,术后TTE随访;并对157例PFO分流方向进行统计分析.结果 7例PFO封堵患者右向左分流的确诊方法:TTE 1例,TEE 4例,TTE或TEE 右心声学造影各1例.术后TTE随访PFO分流消失.157例TTE诊断的PFO以左向右分流表现为主,少数右向左分流和双向分流者多伴其他心脏结构和功能改变.结论超声心动图在PFO封堵术中具有多方面重要作用.TEE及声学造影诊断PFO右向左分流的敏感性高于单纯TTE.常规TTE检查PFO多表现为左向右分流,而非理论定义的右向左分流.     

中青年隐源性DWI阴性急性缺血性脑卒中合并卵圆孔未闭两例

该文报道2例中青年隐源性弥散加权成像(DWI)阴性急性缺血性脑卒中合并卵圆孔未闭男性患者,均为38岁,急性起病,以轻度神经功能缺损症状就诊,既往无脑血管病危险因素,以左侧肢体功能障碍为主要表现,DWI均阴性,经颅多普勒超声发泡检查和经食管心脏彩色多普勒超声检查发现卵圆孔未闭,其后均接受抗血小板、调脂等治疗,好转出院后随访显示2例均接受了卵圆孔未闭封堵治疗,均痊愈。应通过该2例的诊治过程提高对局灶性神经功能缺损合并卵圆孔未闭的认识,当患者出现局灶性神经功能缺损,即使DWI阴性亦不能排除急性缺血性脑卒中,应积极进行危险因素筛查,尤其是在中青年隐源性患者中,应高度重视卵圆孔未闭的检测及治疗,减少卵圆孔未闭所致的脑卒中及卒中复发。     

Prevalence of patent foramen ovale in migraine patients with and without aura compared with stroke patients. A transcranial Doppler study

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a consecutive unselected cohort of migraine patients (with and without aura) and compare it with a group of ischaemic young and elderly stroke patients. One hundred and forty-one migraine patients were compared with 330 stroke patients (130 young patients; 200 elderly patients) selected from our hospital stroke data bank. PFO was assessed with transcranial Doppler sonography with i.v. injection of agitated saline. The prevalence of PFO was 51.7% in migraine with aura (MA) patients, 33.7% in migraine without aura (MoA) patients, 33.8% in young stroke patients and 20.5% in elderly stroke patients (P < 0.001). The prevalence of PFO in cryptogenic stroke in young and elderly stroke patients was, respectively, 41.1% and 25% (P = 0.04). The difference between MA and MoA patients was significant (odds ratio = 2.1). The prevalence of PFO in MA patients is higher than in MoA patients and in young cryptogenic stroke patients.     

Patent foramen ovale: assessment, clinical significance and therapeutic options

Foramen ovale plays an important function in the fetus but is of no physiologic significance after birth and closes in most individuals. In about one fourth of the population, however, foramen ovale remains open for life and has been associated with cerebrovascular accidents, especially in younger patients, presumably through paradoxical embolism. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has also been associated with hypoxia, migraine headaches and neurologic findings of decompression illness in scuba divers. Availability of transesophageal echocardiography and its frequent use in the management of patients with stroke has lead to frequent detection of PFO. In addition, the recent development of devices and techniques for percutaneous closure of PFO has resulted in widespread enthusiasm for such interventions, even when a clear etiologic role for PFO may not be established. In the United States, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two such devices through compassionate investigational device exemption without adequate data from large randomized clinical studies. Other such devices are undergoing evaluation in clinical trials. Expert opinions have been helpful for clinical decision making in management of patients with PFO associated with stroke, hypoxia, decompression sickness and migraine headaches.     

Interobserver and intraobserver variability in detection of patent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm with transesophageal echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: An accurate diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) may be of decisional importance in the management of patients with ischemic stroke. Very few studies have been devoted to observer agreement in the diagnosis of these atrial septum abnormalities using contrast transesophageal echocardiography, which is considered as the method of choice for the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess interobserver and intraobserver variability in the diagnosis of PFO and ASA with contrast echocardiography. METHODS: Three sonographers independently reviewed 100 contrast studies stored on videotape on 2 occasions each. The interobserver and intraobserver variability was assessed by calculating kappa statistics. RESULTS: The overall interobserver and intraobserver kappa values for the assessment of degree of shunting through a PFO were 0.77 (first and second reading) and 0.82, respectively. The best kappa statistics were obtained when no and small shunts (less than 10 microbubbles) were pooled and compared with larger shunts. For the diagnosis of ASA, the overall interobserver kappa value was 0.45 for the first reading and 0.71 for the second reading, whereas the overall intraobserver kappa value was 0.74. CONCLUSION: Interobserver and intraobserver agreements for the diagnosis of PFO and ASA by transesophageal echocardiography are not perfect and need to be improved, particularly for ASA. This variability has to be taken into account when deciding on a potential risky treatment to prevent recurrent strokes.     

Differential diagnosis between patent foramen ovale and pulmonary arteriovenous fistula in two patients with previous cryptogenic stroke caused by presumed paradoxical embolism.

Development of improved devices for interventional closure of atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale increased the number of adult patients who are being referred for transcatheter closure. We report two cases that were scheduled for patent foramen ovale closure because of a right-to-left atrial shunt detected at contrast transesophageal echocardiography in another institution and that were found to have pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas. Embolization of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas was carried out successfully by transcatheter technique.     

Agitated saline versus polygelatine for the echocardiographic assessment of patent foramen ovale.

BACKGROUND: The choice of the optimal echo contrast agent could be of relevance for the detection of a patent foramen ovale (PFO). This study compares agitated saline solution and oxypolygelatine (OXY) with respect to their ability to detect a PFO. METHODS: A total of 34 patients (13 women, age 45 +/- 16 years) underwent both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The appearance of contrast and the presence of a PFO was assessed visually and by acoustic densitometry for both agents. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the detection of a PFO (22 patent, 65%) was 71% with saline versus 84.6% for OXY. Maximum, mean acoustic densitometry grayscale intensity values and the duration of opacification was significantly higher for OXY versus saline for all chambers. CONCLUSIONS: OXY has superior echo properties that translate into a higher sensitivity for the detection of a PFO. The choice of the optimal agent must be considered for clinical routine and research studies.     

Patent foramen ovale transcatheter closure device thrombosis

The role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with cryptogenic stroke (stroke of unknown cause) remains controversial, although an association seems likely in younger patients with atrial septal aneurysms and PFO. The mechanism of cryptogenic stroke in these patients is presumed to be paradoxical embolism via right-to-left shunt across the PFO. The available options for treatment include medical therapy with antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy or closure of the PFO surgically or with use of transcatheter PFO closure devices. We describe 2 cases of bilateral device thrombosis associated with use of a transcatheter PFO closure device (CardioSEAL). To our knowledge, only 1 other case of thrombosis associated with use of this device has been reported.