title: Predictive implications of recurrent transient ischemic attacks in large-artery atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is uncertain whether recurrent transient ischemic attacks (R-TIAs), when comparing with single TIAs (S-TIAs), have any distinct mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive patients with TIAs, who had been admitted for a 2-year period, were divided into two groups: those who had R-TIAs and those who had S-TIAs. Registry data, medical records, and imaging findings were reviewed and compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 85 patients who had TIAs: 42 patients had R-TIAs, and 43 patients had S-TIAs. On univariate analysis, R-TIA patients had less cardiac embolic TIA sources, less weakness, less speech disturbances, shorter symptom duration, a longer time interval from onset to treatment, less abnormalities on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and more significant relevant arterial stenoses. After logistic regression analysis, independent factors associated with R-TIAs were symptom duration < 10 min (odds ratio OR 3.62; 95% confidence interval CI 1.37-9.57), > or = 50% stenosis of the clinically relevant artery (OR 7.08; 95% CI 1.29-38.71), and absence of cardiac embolic sources (OR 0.04; 95% CI 0.002-0.71).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  R-TIAs may have pathophysiological mechanisms distinct from those of S-TIAs and so may provide a clue for the etiologic diagnosis, in that patients with R-TIAs are more likely to have large-artery atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Core Research Center for Nanomedical Technology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seo Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ji Hoe
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Heo
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D020771:Anterior Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging