Clinical outcomes of patients with cardiogenic cerebral emboli in Srinagarind Hospital.

We retrospectively studied the functional outcomes and recurrence rates of patients 15 years and older in whom cardiogenic cerebral embolism was diagnosed at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen, Thailand, during the period of 1993-2002. Ninety patients were included in this study. Ages ranged from 16-80 years (mean 48.3 years). The majority of cardiac abnormalities were rheumatic heart diseases (with or without atrial fibrillation) and nonvulvular atrial fibrillation. At 3 months and 1 year after stroke, improvement in functional outcome (measured by RDS, motor strength, and GCS) were 74.4% and 55.6%, mortality rates of 13.3% and 16.7%; and recurrence rates of 8.9% and 16.7%, respectively. A GCS <9 or motor power <1 or RDS ≥4 upon presentation were poor prognostic factors.