title: Carotid stenosis associated with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence and risk factors for carotid stenosis in TIA/stroke patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and to compare clinical and CT characteristics of TIA/stroke in AF patients with and without carotid stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 TIA/stroke patients with AF who had ultrasound investigation of the extracranial vessels, included in a prospective hospitalar registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients had some degree of carotid stenosis, but only 5 had more than 50% stenosis, including one with occlusion. Stenosis was neither more frequent nor more severe on the symptomatic side. Smokers were significantly more frequent in AF patients with > 50% stenosis. Clinical and CT features were quite similar in patients with and without carotid stenosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association in a TIA/Stroke patient of AF and severe carotid stenosis on the symptomatic side is exceptional. TIA/strokes related to carotid stenosis cannot be identified by their clinical/CT characteristics. Management of these patients must be decided by stratification of risk of recurrence for AF and from carotid stenosis and balance of these risks with that of endarterectomy.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Neurologia, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruivo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Canhão
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ferro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004691:Endarterectomy; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects