Immediate anticoagulation for intracardiac thrombus in acute cardioembolic stroke

To assess the efficacy of immediate anticoagulation therapy on intracardiac thrombus formation in acute cardioembolic stroke, serial two-dimensional echocardiographic examinations were performed in 25 patients with acute cardioembolic stroke. Anticoagulation therapy was commenced within two days of onset in 7 patients (group A) but not in 18 patients (group B). Appearance or enlargement of intracardiac thrombi were not detected in group A but were noted in 7 patients (39%) of group B. Recurrence of systemic embolism was demonstrated in 3 patients (17%) of group B. There were no serious hemorrhagic complications in either group. Immediate anticoagulation could, therefore, be effective in preventing intracardiac thrombus formation and the consequent recurrence of systemic embolization in acute cardioembolic stroke. Because the study was preliminary and not randomized, further randomized study is desirable to establish the efficacy of immediate anticoagulation therapy.