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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale PFO: An Intervention Sequence
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Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale PFO: An Intervention Sequence

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Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale and Pyogenic Brain Abscess

Khalid Abu-Zeinah1, Pansachee Damronglerd2,3, Hussam Tabaja2

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Open Forum Infectious Diseases
|February 4, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is common and may link to pyogenic brain abscess (PBA). While PFO was frequent in PBA patients, it did not affect their 1-year survival rates.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Patent foramen ovale (PFO) affects about 25% of the general population.
  • The relationship between PFO and pyogenic brain abscess (PBA) remains poorly understood.
  • Investigating this association is crucial for understanding brain abscess etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of PFO in adult patients diagnosed with PBA.
  • To compare the characteristics of brain abscesses in patients with and without PFO.
  • To assess the impact of PFO on mortality in patients with PBA.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of adult patients with PBA and documented PFO status.
  • Data collected from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2021, at Mayo Clinic.
  • Analysis included PFO prevalence, abscess characteristics, and 1-year all-cause mortality.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of PFO (40.5%) was observed among patients with PBA.
  • PBA patients with PFO exhibited distinct abscess characteristics compared to those without PFO.
  • The presence of PFO did not significantly alter the 1-year all-cause mortality rate.

Conclusions:

  • PFO is highly prevalent in adult patients with pyogenic brain abscess.
  • PFO is associated with specific brain abscess characteristics.
  • PFO does not appear to impact the long-term survival of patients with pyogenic brain abscess.
Keywords:
bacteremiabrain abscessechocardiographypatent foramen ovale

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