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Homma S, Messé SR, Rundek T, Sun YP, Franke J, Davidson K, Sievert H, Sacco RL, Di Tullio MR. Patent foramen ovale. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2016; 2:15086. [PMID: 27188965 DOI: 10.1038/nrdp.2015.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is the most common congenital heart abnormality of fetal origin and is present in approximately ∼25% of the worldwide adult population. PFO is the consequence of failed closure of the foramen ovale, a normal structure that exists in the fetus to direct blood flow directly from the right to the left atrium, bypassing the pulmonary circulation. PFO has historically been associated with an increased risk of stroke, the mechanism of which has been attributed to the paradoxical embolism of venous thrombi that shunt through the PFO directly to the left atrium. However, several studies have failed to show an increased risk of stroke in asymptomatic patients with a PFO, and the risk of stroke recurrence is low in patients who have had a stroke that may be attributed to a PFO. With the advent of transoesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography, as well as transcranial Doppler, a PFO can be routinely detected in clinical practice. Medical treatment with either antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy is recommended. At the current time, closure of the PFO by percutaneous interventional techniques does not appear to reduce the risk of stroke compared to conventional medical treatment, as shown by three large clinical trials. Considerable controversy remains regarding the optimal treatment strategy for patients with both cryptogenic stroke and PFO. This Primer discusses the epidemiology, mechanisms, pathophysiology, diagnosis, screening, management and effects on quality of life of PFO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunichi Homma
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York 10032, USA
| | - Steven R Messé
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tatjana Rundek
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Yee-Ping Sun
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York 10032, USA
| | | | - Karina Davidson
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York 10032, USA
| | | | - Ralph L Sacco
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Marco R Di Tullio
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York 10032, USA
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Kent DM, Dahabreh IJ, Ruthazer R, Furlan AJ, Weimar C, Serena J, Meier B, Mattle HP, Di Angelantonio E, Paciaroni M, Schuchlenz H, Homma S, Lutz JS, Thaler DE. Anticoagulant vs. antiplatelet therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale: an individual participant data meta-analysis. Eur Heart J 2015; 36:2381-9. [PMID: 26141397 PMCID: PMC4568404 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehv252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The preferred antithrombotic strategy for secondary prevention in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) is unknown. We pooled multiple observational studies and used propensity score-based methods to estimate the comparative effectiveness of oral anticoagulation (OAC) compared with antiplatelet therapy (APT). METHODS AND RESULTS Individual participant data from 12 databases of medically treated patients with CS and PFO were analysed with Cox regression models, to estimate database-specific hazard ratios (HRs) comparing OAC with APT, for both the primary composite outcome [recurrent stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or death] and stroke alone. Propensity scores were applied via inverse probability of treatment weighting to control for confounding. We synthesized database-specific HRs using random-effects meta-analysis models. This analysis included 2385 (OAC = 804 and APT = 1581) patients with 227 composite endpoints (stroke/TIA/death). The difference between OAC and APT was not statistically significant for the primary composite outcome [adjusted HR = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-1.12] or for the secondary outcome of stroke alone (adjusted HR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.44-1.27). Results were consistent in analyses applying alternative weighting schemes, with the exception that OAC had a statistically significant beneficial effect on the composite outcome in analyses standardized to the patient population who actually received APT (adjusted HR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.99). Subgroup analyses did not detect statistically significant heterogeneity of treatment effects across clinically important patient groups. CONCLUSION We did not find a statistically significant difference comparing OAC with APT; our results justify randomized trials comparing different antithrombotic approaches in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Kent
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington St, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA Department of Neurology, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Issa J Dahabreh
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington St, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Robin Ruthazer
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington St, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Anthony J Furlan
- Department of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Christian Weimar
- Department of Neurology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Joaquín Serena
- Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta Institut D'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Bernhard Meier
- Department of Cardiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Maurizio Paciaroni
- Stroke Unit and Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Shunichi Homma
- Division of Cardiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer S Lutz
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington St, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - David E Thaler
- Department of Neurology, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is common and only rarely related to stroke. The high PFO prevalence in healthy individuals makes for difficult decision making when a PFO is found in the setting of a cryptogenic stroke, because the PFO may be an incidental finding. Recent clinical trials of device-based PFO closure have had negative overall summary results; these trials have been limited by low recurrence rates. The optimal antithrombotic strategy for these patients is also unknown. Recent work has identified a risk score that estimates PFO-attributable fractions based on individual patient characteristics, although whether this score can help direct therapy is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S Wessler
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington Street, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA; Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - David M Kent
- Predictive Analytics and Comparative Effectiveness Center, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington Street, Box 63, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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