Large-artery cerebrovascular disease was associated with a significantly higher frequency of abnormal cardiac stress tests compared to other causes of brain ischemia (50% vs 23%, P=0.04).
Cross-Sectional (n=69)
Does the frequency and severity of asymptomatic coronary artery disease differ between patients with large-artery cerebrovascular disease and those with other causes of brain ischemia?
Patients with transient ischemic attack or stroke due to large-artery cerebrovascular disease have a significantly higher frequency and severity of asymptomatic coronary artery disease compared to those with other stroke etiologies.
Absolute Event Rate: 50% vs 23%
p-value: p=.04
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought (1) to compare the frequency and severity of asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with different causes of brain ischemia and (2) to determine profiles of patients with brain ischemia who are at highest risk of asymptomatic CAD. METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with transient ischemic attack or stroke and without overt CAD underwent a cardiac stress test and a diagnostic evaluation to determine the cause of brain ischemia. The frequency of abnormal cardiac stress tests was compared in patients with large-artery cerebrovascular disease versus other causes of brain ischemia (90% of whom had penetrating artery disease or cryptogenic stroke). Additionally, the frequencies of vascular risk factors, resting electrocardiographic abnormalities, and cause of stroke (large-artery disease versus other causes) were compared in patients with abnormal stress tests versus patients with normal stress tests. RESULTS: The frequency of abnormal stress tests was 50% (15 of 30) in patients with large-artery cerebrovascular disease versus 23% (9 of 39) in patients with other causes of brain ischemia (P = .04). Moreover, 60% of abnormal stress tests (9 of 15) in patients with large-artery cerebrovascular disease suggested severe underlying CAD that was confirmed in 7 of 7 patients who underwent coronary angiography. On the other hand, less than 25% of abnormal stress tests (2 of 9) in patients with other causes of brain ischemia suggested severe underlying CAD. Features that were more common in patients with abnormal stress tests were smoking (P = .006), large-artery cerebrovascular disease (P = .02), veteran status (P = .02), and left ventricular hypertrophy (P = .07). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with penetrating artery disease or cryptogenic stroke have a significantly lower frequency of asymptomatic CAD than patients with large-artery cerebrovascular disease. Large-artery cerebrovascular disease, smoking, veteran status, and possibly left ventricular hypertrophy may be useful features for identifying patients with transient ischemic attack or stroke who are at highest risk of harboring asymptomatic CAD.
Chimowitz et al. (Thu,) conducted a cross-sectional in Transient ischemic attack or stroke without overt CAD (n=69). Large-artery cerebrovascular disease vs. Other causes of brain ischemia (penetrating artery disease or cryptogenic stroke) was evaluated on Abnormal cardiac stress tests (p=.04). Large-artery cerebrovascular disease was associated with a significantly higher frequency of abnormal cardiac stress tests compared to other causes of brain ischemia (50% vs 23%, P=0.04).