Transient Ischemic Attack: Clinical Features and Outcome

Summary A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is a state of emergency and an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. The social significance of the disease is determined, based on the probability of occurrence of subsequent cerebrovascular incidents and their frequency among groups. The purpose of the present study was to perform a comparative analysis of clinical features and outcome in patients with TIA for at least 24 months after onset had been registered, according to the pathogenesis and to ABCD (2) score. Two hundred and fifty-seven patients were monitored at the Neurology Clinic, First MHAT – Sofia after suffering an initial TIA. All subjects were studied using a clinical evaluation of pathogenetic mechanisms and an ABCD (2) algorithm. A diagnosis of TIA was confirmed by neuroimaging. The comparison between specific pathogenetic mechanisms demonstrated a statistically significant difference. Two TIA subgroups were involved – thromboembolic and cryptogenic (p<0.05). Also, according to the ABCD (2) score results, significant differences were found between groups at low (1-3) and high (6-7) risk, and those at intermediate (4-5) and high risk (p<0.01). Detailed investigation and assessment of patients with TIA are important concerning the prognostic outcome.