[Cryptogenic infarct. A follow-up period of 1 year study].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the outcome of patients with a cryptogenic infarct (CI) after a follow-up period of 1 year.


METHODS
From our prospective registry of stroke, during a 4-year period, we've identified 121 consecutive patients with a CI (15.1% of all infarcts). They have been followed up for 1 year and we have registered stroke recurrence, cardiovascular events and other incidences.


RESULTS
Mean age 70.6 years-old, 53% male. Middle cerebral artery (MCA) was the most often involved territory (52 cases), 70% of them with cortical involvement. No patient died during admission, 95.8% received antiplatelet therapy and 4.1% oral anticoagulant. Fourteen patients were lost of follow-up. During 1-year period, atrial fibrillation (AF) was detected in 7 patients (6.54%), their mean age was 75 years-old, in 5 of them the CI was in MCA territory (4 with cortical involvement, 1 only deep infarct). Three patients (2.76%) suffered a recurrent ischemic stroke, in weeks 15, 16 and 44 after the CI. In all 3 cases the infarct was considered cryptogenic again. Two patients suffered a myocardial infarction and 4 died during follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
In our series rate of stroke recurrence and cardiovascular events after a CI was low. An 11% of patients with a CI involving cortical MCA territory developed FA during the following year.
Palomeras Soler
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Unitat de Neurología, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Barcelona. epalomeras@csdm.cat
Fossas Felip
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Cano Orgaz
A T
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Sanz Cartagena
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D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D016896:Treatment Outcome