ABSTRACT
Background: Ischemic stroke can be classified into five etiological types, according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification, and its adequate investigation and characterization can aid in its clinical management and in preventing new events. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) plays a key role in investigating its etiology; approximately one-third of the patients remain without an adequate definition of the etiology or are classified as the undetermined TOAST type. Objectives: To evaluate if the percentage of patients with indeterminate etiology according to the TOAST classification decreased after transthoracic echocardiography, to determine whether or not the prognosis after ischemic stroke is worse among patients classified as the undetermined TOAST type, and to verify the predictive capacity of echocardiography on the prognosis after ischemic stroke. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, clinical, neurological, and echocardiographic examinations were conducted when the patient was hospitalized for stroke. In-hospital mortality and functional capacity were evaluated at hospital discharge and 90 days thereafter. Multiple linear regression and multiple logistic regression models were adjusted for confounding factors. The level of significance was 5%. Results: A total of 1,100 patients (men = 606; 55.09%), with a mean age of 68.1 ± 13.3 years, were included in this study. Using TTE, 977 patients (88.82%) were evaluated and 448 patients (40.7%) were classified as the undetermined TOAST type. The patients who underwent TTE were 3.1 times less likely to classified as the undetermined TOAST type (OR = 0.32; p < 0.001). Echocardiography during hospitalization was a protective factor against poor prognosis, and reduced the odds of in-hospital death by 11.1 times (OR: 0.090; p < 0.001). However, the presence of the undetermined TOAST classification elevated the chance of mortality during hospitalization by 2.0 times (OR: 2.00; p = 0.013). Conclusions: Echocardiography during hospitalization for ischemic stroke reduces the chances of an undetermined TOAST classification and the risk of in-hospital mortality. However, being classified as the undetermined TOAST type increases the chance of mortality during hospitalization, suggesting that evaluating patients using echocardiography during hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke is important.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Primary cardiac tumors represent less than 5% of total cardiac tumors. Fibroelastoma is a rare benign cardiac tumor that is usually asymptomatic but is acknowledged for its emboligenic potential for causing cardiac, neurological, and vascular symptoms and increasing patient morbidity and mortality. CASE REPORT This report describes the clinical case of a 27-year-old woman who entered the Emergency Department with motor aphasia and hemiparesis in the right dimidium. A brain computed tomography scan was performed at admission, which showed left frontal-parietal hypodensity. The diagnosis of ischemic stroke was made, but cerebral reperfusion therapy with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was not instituted due to the time that had passed since ictus (15 h 40 min). On the first day of hospitalization, the patient had a fever, with no apparent infectious cause. She underwent transthoracic echocardiogram that showed a sessile, isoechoic mass adhered to the atrial surface of the anterior mitral valve leaflet, measuring 6.8×5.5 mm. Antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone and gentamicin was initiated due to the initial diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Three blood culture samples had negative results. Given a differential diagnosis of fibroelastoma, transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac resonance imaging were performed, and the findings were compatible with a diagnosis of mitral valve fibroelastoma. After clinical discussion, the patient was referred to cardiac surgery and underwent tumor resection with anatomopathological diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma of the heart valve. CONCLUSIONS Young patients with ischemic stroke must be investigated with transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms. Papillary fibroelastoma is potential cause of ischemic stroke in young patients, and surgical resection is curative and has excellent prognosis.
