Incidence of Asymptomatic Patent Foramen Ovale According to Age
Authors: Stephen A. Hart
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2009)

Letters17 March 2009Incidence of Asymptomatic Patent Foramen Ovale According to AgeStephen A. Hart, BS and Richard A. Krasuski, MDStephen A. Hart, BSFrom The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195.Search for more papers by this author and Richard A. Krasuski, MDFrom The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-150-6-200903170-00027 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Incidentally discovered asymptomatic patent foramen ovale (PFO) is now more common because of the prevalent use of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (1), but optimal management is unclear. An often-cited autopsy study reported that the incidence of PFO decreases with age, suggesting that some PFOs may close spontaneously or that patients with PFOs may have higher mortality (2–4).Objective: To examine the frequency by age of incidentally discovered PFO among a cohort of patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery.Methods: We reviewed the intraoperative transesophageal echocardiograms of patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery between 1995 and 2006 at the Cleveland Clinic. We excluded patients ...References1. Sukernik MR, Bennett-Guerrero E. The incidental finding of a patent foramen ovale during cardiac surgery: should it always be repaired? A core review. Anesth Analg. 2007;105:602-10. [PMID: 17717210] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Hagen PT, Scholz DG, Edwards WD. Incidence and size of patent foramen ovale during the first 10 decades of life: an autopsy study of 965 normal hearts. Mayo Clin Proc. 1984;59:17-20. [PMID: 6694427] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Meier B. Patent foramen ovale, guilty but only as a gang member and for a lesser crime [Editorial]. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;47:446-8. [PMID: 16412875] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Harper RW, Haqqani HM. Spontaneous late closure of patent foramen ovale [Letter]. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:1913; author reply 1914. [PMID: 17084270] Google Scholar5. Penther P. [Patent foramen ovale: an anatomical study. Apropos of 500 consecutive autopsies]. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 1994;87:15-21. [PMID: 7811147] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByEffect of Patent Foramen Ovale in Patients With Pulmonary HypertensionCryptogenic ischemic stroke and prevalence of asymptomatic atrial fibrillationPatent Foramen Ovale and Migraine: Closing the Debate-A ReviewCardiac PathologyDiagnostic Accuracy of Transesophageal Echocardiogram for the Detection of Patent Foramen Ovale: A Meta-AnalysisSeptal DefectsPatent Foramen Ovale-Assessment and TreatmentImpact of percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure on migraine course 17 March 2009Volume 150, Issue 6Page: 431-432KeywordsAutopsyCardiothoracic surgeryEchocardiographyHypertensionIschemic strokeRisk managementSurgeryTransient ischemic attacks ePublished: 17 March 2009 Issue Published: 17 March 2009 CopyrightCopyright © 2009 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...