|
Transesophageal echocardiogram in the evaluation of acute ischemic stroke of young adults
Muhammad K Ahmed1, Haris Kamal2, Jessica L Weiss3, Annemarie Crumlish4, Peyman Shirani5, Robert N Sawyer4, Ashkan Mowla6
1 Department of Neurology, Georgia School of Medicine, HCA Education Consortium, Rome, GA; Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
2 Department of Neurology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
3 Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
4 Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
5 Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
6 Department of Neurological Surgery, Division of Endovascular Neurosurgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Correspondence Address:
Ashkan Mowla
Department of Neurological Surgery, Division of Endovascular Neurosurgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1200 North State St, Suite 3300, Los Angeles, CA 90033
USA
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/bc.bc_68_20
|
|
INTRODUCTION: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the young age (≤50 years) is a major cause of disability. The underlying mechanism of AIS in this age group is usually different from elderly. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is used to detect the potential cardiac sources of embolism in AIS patients. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TEE) is superior to detect specific underlying cardio-aortic source of embolism when compared to TTE. We aim to evaluate the diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact of TEE in AIS of young adults.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the consecutive patients with AIS in our comprehensive center in a 5-year period from our prospectively collected registry. We selected patients with age ≤50 years who had acute infarcts on brain magnetic resonance imaging or head computed tomography and underwent TEE as part of their diagnostic workup. Demographic details including, age, gender, body mass index, cardiovascular risk factors profile, and TEE findings were collected.
RESULTS: Among a total 7,930 patients, 876 (11.04%) were found to be ≤50 years old. Among those, TEE was done in 113 patients (12.8%) in addition to TTE. Those who underwent TEE had a mean age of 40.4 ± 7.9 years, 60 were male (53%), 7 (6.2%) had a history of coronary artery disease, 38 (33%) had a history of diabetes, and 45 (40%) had a history of smoking. TEE showed new abnormal findings in a total of 15 patients (13.2%) that were not reported in their TTEs. Out of these, left atrial appendage thrombus was found in 5, infective endocarditis in 4, atrial septal aneurysms associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO) in 3, and spontaneous mobile echo density in three patients. Overall, new findings from TEE resulted in change in the secondary stroke prevention strategy in 14 patients of those who underwent TEE (12.3%). TEE also confirmed the presence of PFO, which was present on TTE with bubble study in 20 (17.6%) patients.
CONCLUSION: TEE may provide additional information in the evaluation of the AIS in young adults, which could lead to change of the secondary stroke prevention strategy.
|
