The cough test is superior to the Valsalva maneuver in the delineation of right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale during contrast transesophageal echocardiography.

A patent foramen ovale may result in paradoxical embolization and serious morbidity. Thus a sensitive method to diagnose a patent foramen ovale is important. It is unknown whether the cough test or the Valsalva maneuver is superior in delineating right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale during contrast transesophageal echocardiography. Thus we studied 73 consecutive patients (53 men and 20 women), aged 54 +/- 16 years (range 18 to 79 years), during elective transesophageal echocardiography. Contrast transesophageal echocardiography was performed from a four-chamber view during quiet respirations, Valsalva maneuver, and cough test. In the entire group the incidence of a patent foramen ovale was higher during the cough test (32/73) as compared with the Valsalva maneuver (24/73, p < 0.025) and quiet respirations (18/73, p < 0.005). All subjects with a patent foramen ovale during the Valsalva maneuver had a positive contrast transesophageal echocardiogram during the cough test. In subjects (n = 55) without a patent foramen ovale during quiet respirations, the incidence of a patent foramen ovale was higher during the cough test (15/55) as compared with the Valsalva maneuver (9/55, p < 0.05). In a subgroup (N = 17) of patients with nonhemorrhagic stroke (n = 11), transient ischemic attack (n = 2), or peripheral embolus (n = 4), the cough test had a higher yield (9/17) in delineating a patent foramen ovale as compared with the Valsalva maneuver (7/17) but did not reach statistical significance. These data demonstrate that the cough test is superior to the Valsalva maneuver in delineating a patent foramen ovale during contrast transesophageal echocardiography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)