Cardiogenic embolism as the main cause of ischemic stroke in a city hospital: an interdisciplinary study.
BACKGROUND
It is essential to understand the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke to ensure rational acute therapy and secondary prevention. We wanted to know the distribution of pathogenesis in patients of a city hospital and the differences in risk factors, neurologic deficits, disability, and delay in clinical admittance.


METHODS
During a period of one year, 222 patients (mean age 76.6 years; 59% women) with complete acute ischemic stroke were admitted and underwent complete clinical and diagnostic procedures: CCT/MRI; Doppler- and color-coded duplex and transcranial sonography; echocardiography; use of the NINCDS stroke scale and the Oxford disability scale; study of risk factors, and exploration of delay in admittance.


RESULTS
The following percentages of etiologies were evident: 31% cardiogenic embolism (60% with atrial fibrillation), 13% microangiopathy, 9% macroangiopathy, 11% cerebellar or brain stem infarction, 18% more than one cause and 18% no cause found. The patients with cardiogenic embolism showed significantly the highest scores on the stroke scale and the disability scale and had the shortest delay in admittance (57% were admitted within 3 hours).


CONCLUSIONS
In a city hospital, cardiogenic embolism is the main cause of ischemic stroke. These patients suffer significantly the most severe neurologic deficits, dependence, and requirement of daily nursing care. These patients have the shortest delay in clinical admittance and the best chance of benefitting from acute therapy and early secondary prevention.
Wenckebach Krankenhaus Berlin, Germany.
E I
EI
Becker
A
A
Jung
H
H
Völler
K
K
Wegscheider
H P
HP
Vogel
H
H
Landgraf
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012307:Risk Factors