Comparison of Cardioembolic Mechanisms in North American and Iranian Stroke Patients

Introduction: ardioembolism is among the most important causes of ischemic stroke around the world. A pilot double-center study evaluated subtypes of cardioembolic mechanisms in stroke patients in two different racial subtypes. Methods: This prospective clinical study was conducted on 100 consecutive stroke patients in Mackenzie hospital, Canada and 100 consecutive stroke patients whom were age and sex matched in Ghaem hospital, Iran in 2007. All of the Canadian patients consisted of white North American race and all of the Iranian patients were white Persian race. Diagnosis of ischemic stroke was made by stroke neurologists. Assessment of the cardioembolic mechanisms was maded based on the standard method. The frequency rate of ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failer and atrial fibrillation, was detected in the two studied groups. Chi-Square and Fisher tests served for statistical analysis and p<0.05 was declared as significant. Results: 92 males and 108 females with ischemic stroke were investigated. The influence of race on the frequency rate of ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failer and atrial fibrillation was insignificant, p>0.05. However rheumatic mitral valve disease was significantly more frequewnt in the Iranian group, df=1, p=0.037. The effects of race on frequency rate of other cardioembolic mechanisms was not significant in each gender separately, p>0.05. However ischemic heart disease was significantly more frequent in Canadian females, df=1, p=0.03. Conclusions: There is no significant difference in frequency rate of cardioembolic mechanisms between North American and Persian stroke patients except of rheumatic mitral valve disease.