Key result
Severely impaired TTE findings mark ~76% of cardioembolic strokes and correlate with severity and mortality.
Why the study?
Transthoracic echocardiography findings and their correlation with ischemic stroke characteristics in patients over 50 were not well defined to guide diagnosis and therapy.
Do graded transthoracic echocardiography findings correlate with ischemic stroke characteristics in patients over 50?
Cross-Sectional (n=526)
Do graded transthoracic echocardiography findings correlate with ischemic stroke characteristics in patients over 50?
Severely impaired echocardiography findings strongly correlate with cardioembolic stroke and stroke severity in older adults, highlighting the value of TTE in guiding post-stroke management.
TTE-stroke correlations in patients >50 remain hypothesis-generating; prospective studies needed before changing TTE protocols.
Background Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally, with ischemic strokes, often due to cardiac emboli, accounting for 80% of cases. Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) is crucial for diagnosing and preventing cardioembolic strokes. This study explores the correlation between echocardiography findings and stroke characteristics in patients over 50 to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 526 ischemic stroke patients over 50, confirmed by MRI. Of the patients, 54.8% were men, and 31.9% were aged 70-80. Patients with at least one TTE were categorized by heart rhythm and echocardiography findings into normal, mild, and severe groups. Data on stroke characteristics and echocardiography results were analyzed using SPSS, with chi-square tests assessing correlations.Results Moderate stroke was observed in 55.1% at admission and 41.4% at discharge, with a 14.6% mortality rate. Significant correlations were found between echocardiography findings and stroke type, mortality, rhythm type, age, stroke size, and NIHSS/MRS scores. Severely impaired echocardiography was prevalent in 76.1% of cardioembolic strokes, indicating a strong link to stroke severity.Conclusion The study highlights the importance of TTE in assessing cardiac function and identifying abnormalities that can guide therapeutic interventions in stroke survivors, particularly those with cardioembolic origins.
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Maghbooli et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Ischemic stroke (n=526). Severely impaired echocardiography findings vs. Normal or mild echocardiography findings was evaluated on Correlation with stroke characteristics (stroke type, mortality, rhythm type, age, stroke size, and NIHSS/MRS scores). Severely impaired transthoracic echocardiography findings were present in 76.1% of cardioembolic strokes, showing significant correlations with stroke severity, type, and mortality.
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