Enhanced diagnostic workup increases pathological findings in patients with acute ischaemic stroke:results of the prospective HEBRAS study

Background Stroke aetiology remains cryptogenic in a relevant proportion of patients with acute ischaemic stroke(AIS).We assessed whether enhanced diagnostic workup after AIS yields a higher rate of prespecified pathological findings compared with routine diagnostic care in-hospital.Methods Hospitalised patients with AIS were prospectively enrolled in the investigator-initiated observational HEart and BRain Interfaces in Acute Ischaemic Stroke(HEBRAS)study at the Charité,Berlin,Germany.Patients with AIS without known atrial fibrillation(AF)underwent cardiovascular MR imaging(CMR),MR-angiography of the aortic arch and prolonged Holter-ECG monitoring on top of routine diagnostic care.Results Among 356 patients with AIS(mean age 66 years,37.6%female),enhanced workup yielded a higher rate of prespecified pathological findings compared with routine care(17.7%vs 5.3%;p<0.001).Consequently,fewer patients were classified as cryptogenic after enhanced diagnostic workup(38.5%vs 45.5%,p<0.001).Routine care included echocardiography in 228(64.0%)patients.CMR was successfully performed in 292(82.0%)patients and revealed more often a prespecified pathological finding compared with routine echocardiography(16.1%vs 5.3%).Furthermore,study-related ECG monitoring(median duration 162 hours(IQR 98–210))detected AF in 16(4.5%)patients,while routine monitoring(median duration 51 hours(IQR 34–74))detected AF in seven(2.0%)patients.Conclusions Enhanced diagnostic workup revealed a higher rate of prespecified pathological findings in patients with AIS compared with routine diagnostic care and significantly reduced the proportion of patients with cryptogenic stroke.Trial registration number NCT02142413.