Cardioembolic infarction in the Sagrat Cor-Alianza Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical features of cardioembolic infarcts.


METHODS
Cardioembolic infarct was diagnosed in 231 (15.4%) of 1500 consecutive stroke patients included in a prospective stroke registry over an 8-year period.


RESULTS
Cardiac sources of emboli included isolated atrial dysrhythmia (57.1%), valvular heart disease (20.3%), and coronary artery disease (18.2%). Patients with cardioembolic stroke showed a significantly higher (P < 0.00001) frequency of sudden onset of neurological deficit (79.7%) and altered consciousness (31.2%) than patients with lacunar infarct (38% and 1.9%) and atherothrombotic infarction (46% and 24%). Eleven patients had a spectacular shrinking deficit and 6 a presumed cardioembolic lacunar infarct. Early recurrent embolisms occurred in 6.5% of patients mostly (60%) within 7 days of initial embolism. In-hospital mortality was 27.3% (0.8% in lacunar infarcts, 21.7% in atherothrombotic infarction, P < 0.00001).


CONCLUSIONS
Cardioembolic infarction is a severe subtype of stroke with a high risk of early death. Clinical features at stroke onset may help clinicians to differentiate cerebral infarction subtypes and to establish prognosis more accurately.
Arboix
A
A
Department of Neurology, Hospitals de Barcelona de L'Aliança, Spain.
Vericat
M C
MC
Pujades
R
R
Massons
J
J
García-Eroles
L
L
Oliveres
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology