title: Risk factors for lacunar stroke: a case-control transesophageal echocardiographic study.
abstract: To reassess the independent risk factors for lacunar stroke and to clarify the role of potential embolic sources, we conducted a case-control study using transesophageal echocardiography and duplex ultrasonography. Among 62 consecutive patients with their first lacunar stroke and 202 normal controls, we found that hypertension (p < 0.001), smoking (p = 0.001), and aortic arch atheroma (p = 0.006) were independently associated with an increased risk of lacunar stroke. Whether proximal aortic arch atheroma is mechanistically associated with lacunar stroke or merely coexistent is uncertain.
authors.affiliation: National Stroke Research Institute, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kazui
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calafiore
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Donnan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed