Prevalence of transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage

Introduction This study investigated the prevalence of transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with ischemic stroke (IS), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in sinus rhythm. Material and methods The patients included 120 with IS, 30 with SAH, and 41 with ICH. All diagnoses were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging or brain computed tomography. Two-dimensional echocardiograms were taken at the time stroke was diagnosed. All echocardiograms were interpreted by an experienced echocardiographer. Results Of 120 IS patients, 1 (1%) had a left ventricular (LV) thrombus, 1 (1%) had mitral valve vegetations, 30 (25%) had LV hypertrophy, 26 (22%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 4 (3%) had mitral valve prolapse, 33 (28%) had mitral annular calcium (MAC), 40 (33%) had aortic valve calcium (AVC), 3 (3%) had a bioprosthetic aortic valve, 10 (8%) had aortic stenosis (AS), 6 (5%) had atrial septal aneurysm, 2 (2%) had patent foramen ovale, and 40 (33%) had no abnormalities. Of 30 SAH patients, 5 (17%) had LV hypertrophy, 1 (3%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 1 (3%) had AS, 4 (13%) had MAC, 5 (17%) had AVC, and 20 (67%) had no abnormalities. Of 41 ICH patients, 9 (22%) had LVH, 1 (2%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 1 (3%) had AS, 6 (15%) had MAC, 8 (20%) had AVC, and 22 (54%) had no abnormalities. Conclusions Transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities are more prevalent in patients with IS than in patients with SAH or ICH.