Dataset Information

Patent foramen ovale and long-term risk of ischaemic stroke after surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Pre-operatively diagnosed patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke within 30 days after surgery. This study aimed to assess the PFO-attributable ischaemic stroke risk beyond the perioperative period.

Methods and results

This observational study of adult patients without history of stroke undergoing non-cardiac surgery with general anaesthesia examined the association of PFO with ischaemic stroke 1 and 2 years after surgery using multivariable logistic regression. Of the 144 563 patients included, a total of 1642 (1.1%) and 2376 (1.6%) ischaemic strokes occurred within 1 and 2 years after surgery, 54 (4.7%) and 76 (6.6%) among patients with PFO, and 1588 (1.1%) and 2300 (1.6%) among patients without PFO, respectively. The odds of ischaemic stroke within 1 and 2 years after surgery were increased in patients with PFO: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51-2.69; P < 0.001 and aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.64-2.68; P < 0.001, respectively. Among patients who underwent contrast transoesophageal echocardiography, the frequency of PFO was 27%, and the increased stroke risk in patients with PFO was robust (aOR 3.80, 95% CI 1.76-8.23; P = 0.001 for year 1). The PFO-attributable risk was mitigated by post-operative prescription of combination antithrombotic therapy (odds ratio 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.75; P for interaction = 0.004).

Conclusion

Patients with PFO are vulnerable to ischaemic stroke for an extended period of time after surgery. Physicians should consider implementing PFO screening protocols in patients scheduled for major non-cardiac surgery.

SUBMITTER: Friedrich S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6416532 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Patent foramen ovale (PFO)-related stroke is increasingly recognized as an important etiology of ischemic embolic stroke-accounting for up to 50% of strokes previously considered 'cryptogenic' or with an unknown mechanism. As a 'back door to the brain,' PFO can allow venous clots to enter arterial circulation via interatrial right-to-left shunting, potentially resulting in ischemic stroke. We observe that clinically, PFO-related stroke affects women of childbearing age, and that pregnancy-owing to major changes in hemocoagulative, hormonal, and cardiovascular parameters-can enhance stroke risks. However, no systematic study has been performed and little is known regarding complications, pregnancy outcomes and treatment for PFO-related stroke during pregnancy. To identify and characterize the complications and clinical outcomes related to PFOs during pregnancy, we performed a literature review and analysis from all reported cases of pregnancy with PFO-related complications in the medical literature from 1970 to 2015. We find that during pregnancy and post-partum, PFO is associated with complications affecting multiple organs, including the brain, heart and lung. The three principal complications reported are stroke, pulmonary emboli and myocardial infarction. In contrast to other pregnancy-related stroke etiologies, which peak during later pregnancy and postpartum, PFO-related stroke peaks during early pregnancy (first and second trimester-60%), and most patients had good neurological outcome (77%). In patients with PFO with recurrent stroke during pregnancy, additional key factors include high-risk PFO morphology (atrial septal aneurysm), larger right-to-left shunt, multiple gestation and concurrent hypercoagulability. Compared to strokes of other etiologies during pregnancy, most PFO stroke patients experienced uneventful delivery (93%) of healthy babies with a good clinical outcome. We conclude with recommended clinical treatment strategies for pregnant patients with PFO suggested by the data from these cases, and the clinical experience of our Cardio-Neurology Clinic.

Project description:BackgroundResidual shunt is observed in up to 25% of patients after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, but its long-term influence on stroke recurrence currently is unknown.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of residual shunt after PFO closure with the incidence of recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA).DesignProspective cohort study comparing stroke or TIA recurrence in patients with and without residual shunt after PFO closure.SettingSingle hospital center.Participants1078 consecutive patients (mean age, 49.3 years) with PFO-attributable cryptogenic stroke who were undergoing percutaneous PFO closure were followed for up to 11 years.MeasurementsResidual shunt was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography with saline contrast. Primary outcome was a composite of the first recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA after PFO closure.ResultsCompared with complete closure, the presence of residual shunt after PFO closure was associated with an increased incidence of recurrent stroke or TIA: 2.32 versus 0.75 events per 100 patient-years (hazard ratio [HR], 3.05 [95% CI, 1.65 to 5.62]; P < 0.001). This result remained robust after adjustment for important covariates, namely age; study period; device; presence of atrial septal aneurysm, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypercoagulability, or hypermobile septum; and medication use (HR, 3.01 [CI, 1.59 to 5.69]; P < 0.001). Further stratification based on shunt size revealed that moderate or large residual shunts were associated with a higher risk for stroke or TIA recurrence (HR, 4.50 [CI, 2.20 to 9.20]; P < 0.001); the result for small residual shunts was indeterminate (HR, 2.02 [CI, 0.87 to 4.69]; P = 0.102).LimitationNonrandomized study with potential unmeasured confounding.ConclusionAmong patients undergoing PFO closure to prevent future stroke, the presence of residual shunt, particularly a moderate or large residual shunt, was associated with an increased risk for stroke or TIA recurrence.Primary funding sourceNational Institutes of Health.

Project description:ImportancePerioperative stroke is a major complication for patients undergoing surgery. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) represents a possible anatomical link between venous thrombosis and stroke.ObjectiveTo determine whether a preoperatively diagnosed PFO is associated with increased risk of perioperative ischemic stroke.Design, setting, and participantsRetrospective cohort study from Massachusetts General Hospital and 2 affiliated community hospitals between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015. Participants were 182 393 consecutive adults undergoing noncardiac surgery with general anesthesia.ExposuresPreoperatively diagnosed PFO.Main outcomes and measuresPerioperative ischemic stroke occurring within 30 days of surgery; stroke subtype by Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project classification and stroke severity by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).ResultsAmong the 150 198 patient cases analyzed (median [SD] age, 55 [16] years), 1540 (1.0%) had a diagnosis of PFO before surgery. A total of 850 (0.6%) ischemic strokes occurred within 30 days of surgery (49 [3.2%] among patients with PFO and 801 [0.5%] among patients without PFO). In adjusted analyses, patients with PFO had an increased risk of ischemic stroke compared with patients without PFO (odds ratio, 2.66 [95% CI, 1.96-3.63]; P < .001). The estimated risks of stroke were 5.9 for every 1000 patients with PFO and 2.2 for every 1000 patients without PFO (adjusted absolute risk difference, 0.4% [95% CI, 0.2%-0.6%). Patients with PFO also had an increased risk of large vessel territory stroke (relative risk ratio, 3.14 [95% CI, 2.21-4.48]; P < .001) and a more severe stroke-related neurologic deficit measured by NIHSS (median, 4 [interquartile range {IQR}, 2-10] vs median, 3 [IQR, 1-6] for those without PFO; P = .02).Conclusions and relevanceAmong adult patients undergoing noncardiac surgery at 3 hospitals, having a preoperatively diagnosed PFO was significantly associated with increased risk of perioperative ischemic stroke within 30 days after surgery. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether interventions would decrease this risk.