Effect of patent foramen ovale closure for prevention on recurrent stroke or transient ischemic attack in selected patients with cryptogenic stroke

Objectives

This study was sought to evaluate the effectiveness of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure in selected patients (PFO shunt grade more than moderate) with cryptogenic stroke (CS).

Background

Whether closure of PFO is an effective treatment for prevention of CS is still unclear.

Methods

Consecutive 158 patients (mean age: 49.9 years old, closure group: 67 patients, medication group: 91 patients) were enrolled. The primary end point was a composite of recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attack.

Results

Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups, except age which was younger in the closure group (47.7 ± 10.8 vs 51.9 ± 9.9, P = 0.013), and the presence of shunt at rest was more common in the closure group (35.8% vs 10.4%, P = 0.000). Procedural success was 94.0%. Over a mean follow‐up of 27.8 months, a total of six primary end point, all of which were strokes, occurred only in the medication group (6.6% vs 0%, P = 0.039). Stroke‐free survival rate was significantly higher in the closure group (P = 0.026)

Conclusions

Our study showed that PFO closure may be an effective treatment strategy to prevent recurrent stroke or TIA for patients with CS if it is conducted in selective patients who have PFO shunt more than moderate grade.