DETERMINANTS OF ARTERIAL EMBOLISM WITH SP ECIAL REGARD TO ATHEROMATOSIS OF THE THORACIC AORTA

Potential sources of arterial embolism were evaluated with special emp hasis on aortic atheromatosis in patients who underwent transesophagea l echocardiography for various clinical reasons. Among 375 patients, 1 66 had suffered from cerebrovascular disease or peripheral embolism an d 209 were free from symptoms of embolism. Univariate analysis reveale d that atheromatosis of the aortic arch and descending aorta as well a s cardiac thrombi, aneurysms of the interatrial septum and arterial hy pertension were significantly more common in patients who had a histor y of embolism or ischemic stroke. In a stepwise multiple regression an alysis, aortic arch atheromatosis (odds ratio 1.7, 95 % CI 1.1-2.6), c ardiac thrombi (odds ratio 4.1, 95 % CI 1.7-9.8), atrial septal aneury sm (odds ratio 3.0, 95 % CI 1.2-7.8) and arterial hypertension (odds r atio 1.8, 95 % CI 1.1-3.0) were determined as independent predictors o f embolic symptoms. We conclude that atheromatous lesions of the aorti c arch are an independent risk factor for arterial embolism and ischem ic stroke among other well known sources of embolism.