Comparison of psychological symptoms in post-cryptogenic cerebral-vascular accident (CVA) and/or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients who have undergone foramen ovale closure, and in post-CVA patients

The patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a controversial risk factor for CVA or TIA. In our center, adult PFO patients diagnosed with post cryptogenic CVA/TIA undergo trans-catheter closure of the PFO to decrease the risk of recurrent stroke. The aim of the study was to compare levels of functioning, depression and anxiety in post PFO closure patients following cryptogenic CVA/TIA and in other patients post CVA/TIA without PFO. Eighty-nine patients who had undergone trans-catheter PFO closure and 56 non-PFO post-CVA patients completed demographic, functioning, anxiety and depression questionnaires. Additional medical data were recorded from the medical files. Patients who had undergone trans-catheter PFO closure post CVA or TIA reported better level of functioning and substantially lower levels of depression and anxiety. The 70% of depression and 55% of anxiety variances were explained by female gender, older age, lower education, lower functioning level and additional health problems. Functioning level was the strongest contributor to the explained variance of psychological symptoms. We conclude that patients who have undergone trans-catheter PFO closure following cryptogenic CVA/TIA, which may prevent stroke recurrence, show good functioning and low levels of psychological symptoms. The procedure helps to keep these patients in a good physical and psychological health.