title: Microembolic signals in patients with cryptogenic stroke with or without patent foramen ovale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the incidence, frequency, and contributing factors of microembolic signals (MESs) in patients with cryptogenic stroke with or without patent foramen ovale (PFO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Transcranial Doppler monitoring for MESs detection was performed for 62 patients with acute cryptogenic stroke with PFO (PFO(+)) and 34 patients with acute cryptogenic stroke without PFO (PFO(-)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of MESs was not significantly higher in PFO(+) patients (17/62, 27.4%) in comparison to PFO(-) patients (6/34, 17.6%; odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 0.62-5.00; P = .327). The frequency of MESs in PFO(+) patients was statistically higher than that of PFO(-) patients (0.70 ± 1.47 v 0.23 ± 0.55; P = .026). MESs was presented with higher incidence in a subgroup of patients suffering from both patent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm (P = .044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The likelihood of PFO as a source of MESs is higher when associated with atrial septal aneurysm.
authors: Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. yaghoubie@yahoo.com
authors: Abdolhamid
authors: A
authors: Shariat
authors: Ehsan
authors: E
authors: Yaghoubi
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Nemati
authors: Ali Reza
authors: AR
authors: Moaref
authors: Kamran
authors: K
authors: Aghasadeghi
authors: Afshin
authors: A
authors: Borhani Haghighi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial