Objective:
To investigate the potential
risk factors for
cryptogenic stroke (CS) in
patients with
patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Methods:
Patients underwent PFO closure in the Department of Cardiovascular
Surgery, the Second
Hospital of Hebei Medical
University from June 2018 to December 2021 were enrolled retrospectively.
Transesophageal echocardiography was used to evaluate the morphological characteristics of
foramen ovale and right-to-left shunt (RLS). Multivariate
logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent
risk factors for CS in
patients with PFO.
Results:
A total of 203
patients with PFO were enrolled. Their age was 41.9±14.3, and 116
patients (57.1%) were
male. There were 102
patients in CS group and 101
patients in non-
stroke group. The age,
body mass index, systolic
blood pressure and diastolic
blood pressure, and the constituent ratios of
male,
hypertension, diabetes,
hyperlipidemia and
smoking of the CS group were significant higher than those of the non-
stroke group (all P<0.05). The PFO channel of the CS group was longer, wider and more combined with resting RLS (all P<0.05). Multivariate
logistic regression analysis showed that systolic
blood pressure (
odds ratio [ OR] 1.065, 95%
confidence interval [ CI] 1.022-1.111; P=0.003), PFO length ( OR 1.124, 95% CI 1.004-1.258; P=0.043) and resting RLS ( OR 5.449, 95% CI 2.283-13.004; P<0.001) were the independent
risk factors for CS in
patients with PFO.
Conclusion:
Systolic
blood pressure, PFO length and the presence of resting RLS are the independent
risk factors for CS in
patients with PFO.