title: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation as a cause of embolic stroke: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is an abnormal communication between pulmonary arteries and veins responsible for right-to-left shunting that could induce the development of embolic stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe an 82-year-old woman without history of respiratory or neurological diseases, who presented at our observation unit with acute onset of cerebral ischemia. Clinical, laboratory and radiological findings diagnosed a PAVM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Usually, endovascular procedures based on embolization or, alternatively, surgery represent the recommended treatment. However, both hormonal therapy and thrombolytic therapy can be used. In our patient, treatment with warfarin induced a remission of symptoms. This strategy should be tested in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Unit Emergency Department, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anticoli
authors.affiliation: Stroke Unit Emergency Department, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca Romana
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Pezzella
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Annunziata Hospital, Cosenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siniscalchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy ; Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance Unit, Mater Domini University Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallelli
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bravi
keywords: Acute cerebral ischemia; Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation; Warfarin