Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate cardiac function using echocardiography in patients with
stroke admitted to subacute rehabilitation units.
DESIGN: Retrospective,
cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 750 consecutive patients with
stroke who were admitted to a suburban rehabilitation hospital. Mean age 67.5
years (standard deviation (SD) 12.3 years). Mean time since stroke 36.7 days (SD
13.2 days). METHODS: Patients were assessed using transthoracic echocardiography
within 7 days of admission. The prevalence of echocardiographic abnormalities was
analysed and compared between cerebral infarction and haemorrhage using the
Mantel-Haenszel method controlled for age. RESULTS: Arrhythmias were found in
13.7% of the patients, 94.2% of whom had atrial fibrillation. Left atrial
enlargement and left ventricular hypertrophy were found in 20.4% and 19.5% of all
patients, respectively. Left ventricular asynergy was detected in 6.1% of all
patients, but 47.8% of them had no history of myocardial infarction. Left
ventricular ejection fraction was low in 12.2% of all patients. Abnormal rhythms
and left atrial enlargement were significantly more frequent in patients with
cerebral infarction than in those with cerebral haemorrhage (p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cardiac problems is high among patients with
subacute stroke regardless of a history of heart disease, and this should be
taken into account when planning rehabilitation programmes.

Langue : ANGLAIS