title: Atrial septal aneurysm and patent foramen ovale are less prevalent in the Indo-Asian than in the Caucasian or Afro-Caribbean population.
abstract: Atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are not uncommon during routine echocardiographic scanning and were reported to be associated with stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and migrainous headache. To assess the prevalence of ASA and PFO according to ethnicity, we retrospectively studied 887 consecutive referrals to a General Cardiology and Hypertension clinics. All participants underwent trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE). In some patients, the TTE was repeated using bubble contrast.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atrial septal aneurysm was detected in 70 participants (7.9%) and PFO in 18 (2%). Atrial septal aneurysm, PFO, or their combination was detected in 12% of the Caucasian patients, 15% of the Afro-Caribbean, and 3.7% of the Indo-Asian patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a lower prevalence of ASA and PFO and their combination in Indo-Asians and a higher rate in Afro-Caribbeans than in Caucasians. The higher prevalence in the Afro-Caribbean participants may contribute to the high incidence of stroke in black participants.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Risks Management and Hypertension Clinics and General Cardiology Clinics, Brent Teaching Primary Care Trust, London. Majeed.salmasi2@nwlh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Abdul-Majeed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Salmasi
authors.forename: Huda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salmasi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rawlins
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baakil
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dancy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D006346:Heart Septum; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data