title: [Abnormalities of interatrial septum and ischemic stroke in young people].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the frequency of patent foramen ovale (PFO) among patients with ischemic stroke (cryptogenic or with a known cause) investigated by transcranial doppler (TCD) and transesophageal echocardiography. Secondarily, to determine the diagnostic validity of the former, compared with the later method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively, 124 patients (<51 years old) with ischemic stroke were submitted to TCD and or transesophageal echocardiography. The patients were classified as cryptogenic stroke or not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We could found an important association between cryptogenic ischemic stroke and PFO (odds ratio 4.3--CI 95% 1.7-10.7). Only five cases of interatrial septal aneurysm were diagnosed among patients with PFO. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values exhibited values upper of 85%, equivalents, at least based on confidence intervals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could determine, for the first time in our country, a strong association between cryptogenic ischemic stroke and PFO. The TCD is a valuable diagnostic resource in this context since its validity was considered excellent. A detailed investigation in these cases should always be done due to the possibility of FOP closure.
authors.affiliation: Centro SARAH de Formação e Pesquisa, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Reabilitação, Hospital SARAH Centro/DF. emarcio@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Edson M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Negrão
authors.forename: Ivar V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Brandi
authors.forename: Simone V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Paulo S S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Beraldo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial