Prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale and Stroke in Patients with Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism

All patients with stroke had a PFO.

French investigators examined the relationship between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and stroke in 41 consecutive patients hospitalized with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE; defined according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines) during a 9-month period. Patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and brain magnetic resonance imaging.

The transesophageal approach identified PFO in 56% of patients, compared to 20% with the transthoracic approach. Recent stroke was detected in 17% of patients, all of whom had a large PFO diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography.

Reviewing Author

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Grant/Research SupportAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality; CDC; NIH–National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; NIH–National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); NIH–NIAID–Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group; Merck; Pfizer; Boehringer-Ingelheim; Shire; Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Novartis; bioMérieux; Siemens; Rapid Pathogen Screening; Magnolia; Stago; Innovative Biosensors; Molecular Detection, Inc.; Dyax Corp.; Trius Pharmaceuticals

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardPortola Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Speaker’s BureauPeerView Institute for Medical Education

Prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale and Stroke in Patients with Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism

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Reviewing Author