Key result
Transesophageal echocardiography detected protruding masses in the aortic lumen in 21.4% of patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke, suggesting a potential alternative source of stroke.
Why the study?
Does transesophageal echocardiography detect aortic plaques in patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke?
Observational (n=28)
Does transesophageal echocardiography detect aortic plaques in patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke?
TEE identified protruding aortic masses in 21.4% of patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke, suggesting aortic plaques as a potential alternative source of stroke.
Hypothesis-generating in a single case series; does not support routine TEE or practice change without prospective validation.
Twenty-eight consecutive patients, aged 34-78 years with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke were evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). All patients were in sinus rhythm. Six of 28 patients (21.4%) displayed protruding masses in the aortic lumen. Five of these masses were located in the ascending aorta and one in the thoracic aorta. Our study suggests that cerebral infarction may also be due to aortic atherosclerotic plaques. Although our findings do not necessarily provide a causative link between atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic lumen and cerebral infarction, they may be an alternative potential source of stroke. TEE is the method of choice in detecting such lesions at the present time.
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Acartürk et al. (2009) conducted an observational in Non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke (n=28). Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was evaluated on Detection of protruding masses in the aortic lumen. Transesophageal echocardiography detected protruding masses in the aortic lumen in 21.4% of patients with non-cardiogenic ischemic stroke, suggesting a potential alternative source of stroke.
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