Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke
Published on: July 14, 2023
Update on Biomarkers Associated to Cardioembolic Stroke: A Narrative Review
Ana Catarina Fonseca1,2,3, Pedro Coelho1
1Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, 1640-035 Lisboa, Portugal.
Insights
Natriuretic peptides like NT-proBNP are key biomarkers for cardioembolic stroke diagnosis and risk assessment. Further validation is needed for other potential biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Cardioembolic stroke diagnosis and prognosis rely on identifying effective biomarkers.
- Stroke recurrence risk assessment is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review biomarkers for cardioembolic stroke, focusing on specific causes.
- To assess the current evidence for biomarker utility in clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of studies on biomarkers for atrial fibrillation, patent foramen ovale, atrial cardiomyopathy, and LV wall motion abnormalities.
- Analysis of evidence supporting biomarker use in diagnosis, prognosis, and risk prediction.
Main Results:
- Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and NT-proBNP show the most evidence for cardioembolic stroke.
- NT-proBNP is used in clinical trials for anticoagulation and cardiac monitoring selection.
- NT-proBNP is integrated into stroke recurrence risk prediction tools like the ABC-stroke score.
Conclusions:
- NT-proBNP and BNP remain the most studied biomarkers for cardioembolic stroke.
- Widespread clinical use of other biomarkers is limited by low study quality and lack of validation.
- Further research with robust validation is necessary for novel biomarker integration.
Background:
In the last years, several studies were conducted that evaluated biomarkers that could be helpful for cardioembolic stroke diagnosis, prognosis, and the determination of risk of stroke recurrence.
Methods:
We performed a narrative review of the main studies that evaluated biomarkers related to specific cardioembolic causes: atrial fibrillation, patent foramen ovale, atrial cardiomyopathy, and left ventricular wall motion abnormalities.
Results:
BNP and NT-proBNP are, among all biomarkers of cardioembolic stroke, the ones that have the highest amount of evidence for their use. NT-proBNP is currently used for the selection of patients that will be included in clinical trials that aim to evaluate the use of anticoagulation in patients suspected of having a cardioembolic stroke and for the selection of patients to undergo cardiac monitoring. NT-proBNP has also been incorporated in tools used to predict the risk of stroke recurrence (ABC-stroke score).
Conclusions:
NT-proBNP and BNP continue to be the biomarkers most widely studied in the context of cardioembolic stroke. The possibility of using other biomarkers in clinical practice is still distant, mainly because of the low methodological quality of the studies in which they were evaluated. Both internal and external validation studies are rarely performed for most biomarkers.
More Related Videos
09:36A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based Computational Protocol for Analysis of Plaque Morphology and Hemodynamics in Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis
Published on: August 12, 2025
05:30Author Spotlight: Advancing the Analysis of Plasma Extracellular Vesicle Proteome for Cardiovascular Biomarker Studies
Published on: January 31, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
01:19Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
01:17Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and...
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for...
01:29Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care