Microembolus detections at follow-up in 19 patients with acute stroke: correlation with stroke etiology and antithrombotic treatment

Abstract

The present study was designed to perform follow-up transcranial Doppler investigations for microembolic signals (MES) in acute stroke patients by means of a strict protocol. The number of MES was correlated with stroke etiology and the strength of antithrombotic treatment. Concurrently, we wanted to demonstrate that MES in acute stroke patients are solid in nature and not gaseous. Nineteen patients with middle cerebral artery ischemic events, 16 with completed stroke and 3 with transient ischemic attack (TIA) were investigated within 24 h following the onset of symptoms. Six 1-hour recordings on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 were performed from the affected middle cerebral artery. The four-gate technique and recently established criteria for the identification of MES were used. Eight of 19 patients showed MES in at least one recording. Variability was high and showed no uniform tendency with respect to time since onset of symptoms or treatment. All 3 patients with internal carotid artery dissection showed MES. In 3 patients with lacunar stroke, no MES were detected. Two patients with MES suffered recurrent TIAs during the observation period, whereas none of the patients without MES suffered a recurrent ischemic event. In the acute phase following stroke, ongoing, emerging and vanishing embolization in some patients may reflect individual active processes of remodelling, healing and disruption or disappearance of the embolic source.