title: [Thrombotic or embolic stroke?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transoesophageal echocardiography reveals a possible source of embolism in many patients who present with acute brain ischaemia. The aim of this study was to observe the prevalence of possible sources of embolism in a representative Norwegian stroke population in a county hospital with a defined reference population.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 103 patients with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack admitted to our hospital during a five-month period were enrolled. We performed transthoracic echocardiography in 98 patients, transoesophageal echocardiography in 83, and Doppler examination of the precerebral arteries in 92.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean patient age was 72 years; 19 patients had atrial fibrillation. Examinations revealed 70 potential sources of embolism in 55 patients. Twenty-eight findings were in the heart. Five patients had thrombi in left-sided heart chambers. Ten patients had patent foramen ovale; 11 had atrial septal aneurysm; four had both. Thirty-three had atheromas of the aorta with a protrusion of more than 4 mm, ten of them with mobile elements. Nine patients had carotid stenosis of high grade or carotid occlusion ipsilateral to a hemispheric stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Potential precerebral sources of embolism are common in a representative population of patients with ischaemic stroke. Atheromas of the aorta may be an important contributor to brain ischaemia.
authors.affiliation: Medisinsk avdeling, Vest-Agder Sentralsykehus 4604 Kristiansand. ev-al@online.no
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Gjestvang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fausa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kåss
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017700:Embolism, Cholesterol / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging