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Table 3 Baseline characteristics and Laboratory and MRI findings according to the presence of potential embolic sources in ESUS patients undergoing TEE

From: Impact of D-dimer for pathologic differentiation on transesophageal echocardiography in embolic stroke of undetermined source: a single-center experience

 

Potential embolic sources

Variables

None

One

≥two

P

n = 20, 17%

n = 61, 53%

n = 34, 30%

Demographics

 Age, mean ± SD

62.6 ± 8.7

66.2 ± 13.2

69.6 ± 10.8

0.024

 Male gender, n (%)

19 (95)

45 (74)

25 (74)

0.064

 Hypertension, n (%)

17 (85)

40 (66)

26 (76)

0.195

 Diabetes mellitus, n (%)

12 (60)

21 (34)

19 (56)

0.045

 Dyslipidemia, n (%)

18 (90)

44 (72)

27 (79)

0.239

 Smoking, n (%)

7 (35)

14 (23)

9 (26)

0.566

 Chronic kidney disease, n (%)

4 (20)

16 (26)

10 (29)

0.748

 Coronary artery disease, n (%)

1 (5)

2 (3)

1 (3)

0.923

 Malignant tumor, n (%)

0 (0)

5 (8)

1 (3)

0.173

 History of cerebral infarction, n (%)

4 (20)

7 (11)

9 (26)

0.171

NIHSS on admission

2.7 ± 3.2

4.4 ± 6.3

3.6 ± 3.9

0.53

Laboratory findings

 LDL-C, mg/dl, a

128.6 ± 38.9

106.8 ± 35.2

119.6 ± 34.2

0.039

 HDL-C, mg/dl, a

49.9 ± 17.1

52.3 ± 14.3

51.3 ± 15.1

0.798

 eGFR, ml/min

71.9 ± 28.2

71.9 ± 25.1

72.5 ± 24.9

0.962

 Hemoglobin A1c, %

6.4 ± 1.2

6.0 ± 0.7

6.7 ± 1.4

0.022

 BNP, pg/ml, b

59.3 ± 77.0

86.4 ± 139.3

181.7 ± 593.4

0.739

 D-dimer, μg/ml, a

0.6 ± 0.3

1.3 ± 1.5

1.3 ± 1.3

0.002

MRI findings, n (%)

 Multiple lesions

10 (50)

38 (62)

18 (53)

0.516

 Lesion size > 30 mm in diameter

5 (25)

20 (33)

13 (38)

0.606

 Cortical infarction

14 (70)

50 (82)

29 (85)

0.367

 Cerebral microbleeds

3 (15)

8 (13)

7 (21)

0.628

 PVH, grade ≥ 2

5 (25)

17 (28)

10 (29)

0.941

 DSWMH, grade ≥ 2

6 (18)

12 (20)

9 (26)

0.567

  1. Chi-square test and the Mann−Whitney U test were used for comparison
  2. Chronic kidney disease was defined as eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Missing values: a, n = 2; b, n = 8
  3. MRI magnetic resonance imaging, ESUS embolic stroke of undetermined source, TEE transesophageal echocardiography, NIHSS National Institute Health stroke scale, LDL-C low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, eGFR estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, BNP brain natriuretic peptide, PVH Periventricular hyperintensity, DSWMH deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity