Right to Left Shunt and Cryptogenic Stroke in Patients Over 60 Years Old.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the possible role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) as indicated by a right to left shunt and cryptogenic stroke in patients aged ≥ 60 years and to compare the prevalence of patent foramen ovale with stroke of known cause.

METHODS

We prospectively examined the prevalence of PFO using contrast enhanced colour Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (bubble-cTCD) in 86 consecutive patients aged ≥60 years with transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke and 86 consecutive patients aged <60 years with TIA/stroke as a control group. Patients with cryptogenic stroke were compared to stroke patients with known cause.

RESULTS

A significantly higher prevalence of PFO in patients with cryptogenic compared to patients with stroke of known cause was registered in the patients aged < 60 years (56.6% vs.18.8%) and in patients aged ≥ 60 years (37.14% vs.11.76%), respectively. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, hypertension and coronary disease showed that the existence of R-to-L shunt (RLS) was independently associated with cryptogenic stroke in both, in the younger group (odds ratio 4.012; 95% CI1.323 to 12.171, p =0.0143.70) and in the older group (odds ratio 3.197; 95% CI 1.140 to 10.877, p=0.037).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that PFO is strongly associated with cryptogenic stroke in patients aged ≥ 60 years. Bubble - cTCD was feasible and suitable as a first-line method for the detection of PFO in older patients.