Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Mohsen Ramezani ¹
• Majid HajiKarimi ²
• Roghayeh Mehrdel ²
• Amir Javadi ³
• Kimia Rahimi Ardali ²
• Shahin Aliakbari ²
• Samira Dodangeh ⁴
• Seyed Abdollah Hosseini ⁵

¹ Clinical Research Development Unit of Advanced Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. Qazvin, Iran

² Clinical Research Development Unit, Booalisina Hospital, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

³ Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

⁴ Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: A growing body of evidence suggests a significant role for atrial abnormalities in the occurrence and severity of cryptogenic strokes; however, this role has yet to be understood. This study examined the association of LA abnormalities with the severity of cryptogenic strokes.
Methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with cryptogenic stroke. We measured P-wave terminal force in Lead I (PTFV1) from standard 12-lead EKGs, with values >5000 μV·ms considered abnormal, serving as an indicator of atrial abnormalities. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their stroke severity assessed by the NIHSS score (mild, moderate, severe). EKG findings, particularly abnormal PTFV1 prevalence, were compared across these severity groups.
Results: The study included 130 patients (mean age 69±14 years; 52.3% male). A total of 50 patients (38.5%) exhibited abnormal PTFV1 values. The prevalence of abnormal PTFV1 was significantly higher in patients with more severe strokes: 18.9% in the mild stroke group, 29.3% in the moderate stroke group, and 74.3% in the severe stroke group (P-value < 0.001). Univariate logistic regression identified age and abnormal PTFV1 as significant predictors of stroke severity.
Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that PTFV1 abnormalities strongly correlate with the severity of cryptogenic strokes, highlighting the role of cardiac sources, especially atrial, in the occurrence of cryptogenic strokes.

Highlights

Mohsen Ramezani (Google Scholar) 

Majid HajiKarimi (PubMed) | (Google Scholar)

Roghayeh Mehrdel (PubMed) | (Google Scholar) 

Amir Javadi (PubMed)  | (Google Scholar) 

Kimia Rahimi Ardali (PubMed) 

Shahin Aliakbari (PubMed)  

Samira Dodangeh (PubMed) | (Google Scholar) 

Seyed Abdollah Hosseini  (PubMed)  | (Google Scholar)

Keywords

• Prevalence
• Ischemic Stroke
• Electrocardiography
• Stroke

Main Subjects

• Cardiology