Why the study?
Does anticoagulation resolve thrombus associated with mitral valve calcification in patients with cerebral embolism?
Does anticoagulation resolve thrombus associated with mitral valve calcification in patients with cerebral embolism?
Thrombus formation on mitral annular calcification may be a pathophysiological link to ischemic cerebral events, and these thrombi can resolve with anticoagulation.
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Anticoagulation may resolve mitral annular calcification thrombi; leaves open role in preventing recurrent cerebral embolism.
BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated an association between mitral annular calcification and stroke; however, the pathophysiological explanation remains speculative. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: We describe two patients with cerebral embolism in whom mitral valve calcification was demonstrated by transthoracic echocardiography. In both patients, transesophageal echocardiography identified a mass that appeared to be thrombus on the calcified portion of the mitral apparatus. There was no evidence of a hypercoagulable state or endocarditis in either case. Repeated transesophageal echocardiography after anticoagulation demonstrated resolution of the masses in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: These cases support the hypothesis that thrombus formation may be a pathophysiological link between ischemic cerebral events and mitral annular calcification in some patients.
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Stein et al. (1995) studied this question.
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