title: Embolic Strokes of Undetermined Source in the Athens Stroke Registry: An Outcome Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Information about outcomes in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source (ESUS) patients is unavailable. This study provides a detailed analysis of outcomes of a large ESUS population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data set was derived from the Athens Stroke Registry. ESUS was defined according to the Cryptogenic Stroke/ESUS International Working Group criteria. End points were mortality, stroke recurrence, functional outcome, and a composite cardiovascular end point comprising recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm rupture, systemic embolism, or sudden cardiac death. We performed Kaplan-Meier analyses to estimate cumulative probabilities of outcomes by stroke type and Cox-regression to investigate whether stroke type was outcome predictor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2731 patients were followed-up for a mean of 30.5±24.1months. There were 73 (26.5%) deaths, 60 (21.8%) recurrences, and 78 (28.4%) composite cardiovascular end points in the 275 ESUS patients. The cumulative probability of survival in ESUS was 65.6% (95% confidence intervals [CI], 58.9%-72.2%), significantly higher compared with cardioembolic stroke (38.8%, 95% CI, 34.9%-42.7%). The cumulative probability of stroke recurrence in ESUS was 29.0% (95% CI, 22.3%-35.7%), similar to cardioembolic strokes (26.8%, 95% CI, 22.1%-31.5%), but significantly higher compared with all types of noncardioembolic stroke. One hundred seventy-two (62.5%) ESUS patients had favorable functional outcome compared with 280 (32.2%) in cardioembolic and 303 (60.9%) in large-artery atherosclerotic. ESUS patients had similar risk of composite cardiovascular end point as all other stroke types, with the exception of lacunar strokes, which had significantly lower risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.52-0.94]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term mortality risk in ESUS is lower compared with cardioembolic strokes, despite similar rates of recurrence and composite cardiovascular end point. Recurrent stroke risk is higher in ESUS than in noncardioembolic strokes.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.). gntaios@med.uth.gr.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ntaios
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papavasileiou
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Haralampos
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Milionis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Makaritsis
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vemmou
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koroboki
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spengos
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine, Larissa University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece (G.N., V.P., K.M.); Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK (V.P.); Department of Medicine, Ioannina University Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece (H.M.); Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Medical School of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece (A.V., E.K., E.M., K.V.); Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (K.S.); and Stroke Center, Neurology Service, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (P.M.).
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vemmos
mesh_terms: D004617:Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: ESUS; embolic stroke of undetermined source; mortality; outcome; stroke recurrence