Early outcome and recurrences after cardiogenic brain embolism.
Functional outcome and recurrence rate were evaluated retrospectively in a series of 566 consecutive patients with a cardioembolic TIA or stroke. Seventy-five patients had a TIA/RIND, 163 a minor stroke, 238 a major deficit, and 90 a fatal event. In a logistic regression analysis the probability of a disabling or fatal outcome was significantly influenced by age (p = 0.0023), a previous stroke (p = 0.0262), concomitant carotid artery disease in Doppler sonography (p = 0.0210), and the underlying heart disease (p = 0.0001). Fatal or major strokes predominated among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, prosthetic heart valves, acute or chronic myocardial infarction. Kaplan-Meier estimates revealed a cumulative risk of recurrent cerebral embolism of 2.9% within three weeks. In a proportional hazards model only the underlying heart disease was significantly linked with the risk of recurrent embolism (p = 0.021).
Department of Neurology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
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Hornig
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Dorndorf
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors