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Cardioembolic Stroke. Robert A. Felberg, MD Stroke Program Director Department of Neurology Geisinger Medical Center Danville, Pennsylvania. Irregularly , Irregular Rhythm in a Regular elderly female. 87 year old Black Female
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Cardioembolic Stroke Robert A. Felberg, MD Stroke Program Director Department of Neurology Geisinger Medical Center Danville, Pennsylvania
Irregularly , Irregular Rhythm in a Regular elderly female • 87 year old Black Female • History of Hypertension, well compensated Congestive Heart Failure, Hip Fracture 2 years ago with pinning • Chief Complaint: Lightheadedness • Exam reveals: • Irr. Irr. rhythm • EKG: Atrial Fibrillation rate 83/min • Normal Recent Thyroid Studies
Irr. Irr. Rhythm in a Regular elderly female • How do you treat this patient? A: “Benign Neglect” B: Check Echo and Chemically Convert to NSR C: Aspirin 325mg Daily and write note about fall risk in chart D: Warfarin 5mg Daily (Goal INR 2.0-2.5)
Irr. Irr. Rhythm in a Regular elderly female • How do you treat this patient? A: “Benign Neglect” B: Check Echo and Chemically Convert to NSR C: Aspirin 325mg Daily and write note about fall risk in chart D: Warfarin 5mg Daily (Goal INR 2.0-2.5)
A Warfarin Treatment GuidelineBased Largely on SPAF High risk embolism: one or more of the following- mitral stenosis, prosthetic valve, Previous TIA/Stroke, thyrotoxicosis, LV dysfctn, current systolic HTN, female >75, ECHO “smoke”, LA thrombus Intermediate embolism: none of the high risk, HX of HTN High bleeding: non compliance, active bleeding, recent ICH Intermediate bleeding: age >80, leukoareosis, HX of falls
Stroke in the Young • 34 year old right handed white female. No significant PMHx. • Sudden onset of Right Hemiparesis and Aphasia. • Receives IV-TPA in the Emergency room with dramatic recovery.
Stroke in the Young • MRI shows a small area of acute stroke in the Left MCA territory • And B/L embolic sub acute stroke in both hemispheres as well as Right Cerebellum • Carotid U/S is Normal • Non-Smoker, Normotensive, Normal Lipids • No history of DVT or miscarriage
Stroke in the Young • How do you manage this patient? • Antiplatelet therapy and discharge • Check 2-d transthoracic echo • Check hypercoagulable Labs • Check Tran-esophageal echo and hypercoagulable labs
Stroke in the Young • How do you manage this patient? • Antiplatelet therapy and discharge • Check 2-d transthoracic echo • Check hypercoagulable Labs • Check Tran-esophageal echo and hypercoagulable labs
To Diagnose Cardioembolic Stroke- You’ll need to look at the films! • The pattern of Stroke on imaging is key to finding the etiology • Especially MRI imaging
Embolic Stroke • Wedge Shaped • Peripheral • Typically Cortical
Cardioembolic Strokes • Multiple Strokes • Embolic • Separated by Time • Separated by Location
Cardioembolic Strokes • Isolated PCA or Superior Cerebellar Strokes
Cardioembolic Strokes • Isolated Posterior Division MCA
Clinical Clues to Suggest Cardioembolism • Stroke during Valsalva Maneuver • Cough • Sneeze • Sexual Intercourse • Pain: consider dissection • Blue Toe Syndrome • Splinter Hemorrhages • Renal Failure • Corneal hemorrhages
Clinical Clues to Suggest Cardioembolism • Clinical Point • AFIB is the most common cause of stroke in patients over the age of 80 • Clinical Point • To evaluate for Stroke • 2D echo is not valuable • TEE with Bubble study is the national standard of care
Diagnosis of Cardioembolic Sources • For Stroke Evaluation • TEE is the Standard of Care • TTE is not sufficient, not indicated, not sensitive, not appropriate, and not likely to lead to diagnosis or change in therapy • Can not bill for TTE • An echo is not required for every patient • Only those with a suspected cardiac source • Perform a Bubble study with the TEE • TCD can be a non-invasive screen Screen
TCD/PMD IMAGING FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PFO courtesy Dr. Merrill Spencer
What are we looking for? • The micro bubbles will cross the right to left shunt • Enter the cerebral circulation • Be detected by TCD Courtesy of Mark Moehring Spencer Technolgy
Patent Foramen Ovale: • Significant cause of stroke in the young • PFO found in 40% of Idiopathic Stroke cases
PFO in stroke: Pathophysiology Paradoxical Embolism Focal Thrombosis
Incidence of PFO in cryptogenic stroke versus normals P value Control Cryptogenic Stroke • Lechat, NEJM 1988 • Webster, NEJM 1988 • De Belder 1992 • Di Tullio 1992 • Hausmann 1992 • Cabanes 1993 54% 50% 13% 47% 50% 56% 10% 15% 3% 4% 11% 18% < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01
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The MAS Study • A Multi-Center Prospective Observational Study to determine the rate of recurrent stroke/TIA in young idiopathic stroke patients with sub-group comparison of those with septal abnormalities to those with normal septal findings. • Mas JL, Arquizan C, Lamy C, Zuber M, Cabanes L, Derumeaux G, Coste J; Patent Foramen Ovale and Atrial Septal Aneurysm Study Group. Recurrent cerebrovascular events associated with patent foramen ovale, atrial septal aneurysm, or both. N Engl J Med. 2001 Dec 13;345(24):1740-6.
Background • Despite many theories regarding therapy, there is poor natural history data regarding the absolute and relative risk of PFO and ASA in the setting of “stroke in the young” • An observational study was undertaken to determine the natural history of PFO/ASA vs non-PFO/ASA in young idiopathic stroke • NOTE: Not a comparison of stroke patients vs. normal controls.
Clarification: “ASA”: Aspirin Atrial Septal Aneurysm
Trial Design • Concurrent Idiopathic Stroke Patients • age 18-55 • All patients had a standard stroke evaluation • Excluded those for whom cause was found • Lacunar stroke • Atrial fibrillation • Hypercoagulable States • All patients had a TEE with bubble study • Patients were split into 4 groups and followed for 2 years • No septal abnormality • PFO only • ASA only • PFO+ASA in combination
331 patients with stroke • >60 years of age • TEE Confirmed Aortic Atheroma • Graded • Aortic plaques >4 mm thick (including the thicknessof the aortic wall) • Recurrent brain infarction • relative risk, 3.8; • P = 0.0012 • All vascularevents • relative risk, 3.5; • P<0.001 • Kaplan–Meier Analysis of Survival without Vascular Events (Brain Infarction, Myocardial Infarction, Peripheral Embolism, or Death from Vascular Causes), According to Plaque Thickness in the Aortic Arch Proximal to the Ostium of the Left Subclavian Artery. • The French Study of Aortic Plaques in Stroke Group. NEJM 334:1216-1221
Kaplan-Meier Estimates of the Risk of Recurrent Cerebrovascular Events within Four Years after the Index Stroke Mas, J.-L. et al. N Engl J Med 2001;345:1740-1746
What IS PICCS? • Patent Foramen Ovale In Cryptogenic Stroke Study • Substudy of WARRS • A study designed to compare ASA and warfarin for the prevention of recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with prior (<30 days) noncardioembolic ischemic stroke
What IS PICCS? • Patients eligible if event not attributed to high-grade carotid stenosis for which surgery was planned and not associated with an inferred cardioembolic source • Composite endpoint of death or recurrent ischemic stroke over two years after enrollment
PICSS Results • Death was the endpoint in 23% of patients • Composite endpoint for entire group (at 2 yrs) 13.2% in aspirin group vs 16.5% in warfarin group (p=NS) • Composite endpoint in group with cryptogenic stroke and PFO (n=98): 17.9% in ASA group vs 9.5% in warfarin group (p=NS) This group of 98 (4.4% of the original 2206) patients represents the only group of cryptogenic stroke/PFO patients enrolled in a randomized trial (not placebo-controlled) of medical therapy.
The STARFlex Occluder: Double umbrella design with auto centering microsprings Framework is MP35n Tissue matrix is polyester fabric (Dacron) NMT Medical, Inc.
PFO in Embolic Stroke Annual recurrence rate (Stroke, TIA,) after PFO closure • Hung et. al. Circulation 2000 3.2 % • Meier; Circulation Feb 2000 2.5 % • Sievert et al, Abstract AHA Nov 2001, 3.1 % • Palacios, Circulation, Aug 2002 0.9% • Lock; Circulation Jan 2003 3.0% March 2003
Very little information to make an informed treatment decision
PFO in Embolic Stroke What do we really know about recurrent event rates for each form of therapy? Only that a definitive, randomized, controlled study is needed! March 2003
Investigating the PFO Stroke connection NMT Medical, Inc. RESPECT TRIAL AGA Medical
Other Cardioembolic Sources of Stroke • Artificial Valves • New devices • New Anticoagulants • Arrythmias • Atrial Fibrillation • Frequent PAC’s • Cardiomyopathy • WARCEF trial
Aortic Arch Atheroma • <1 mm • Atherosclerotic disease of the aortic arch is foundin 60 percent of patients 60 years of age or older who havehad brain infarction • Usually divided into threegroups according to the thickness of the wall of the aorticarch • <1 mm • 1 to 3.9 mm • >4 mm >4 mm