Eur J Neurol 2011 Dec;18(12):1426-8 (ISSN: 1468-1331)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although hypercoagulability-induced thromboembolism is generally accepted as cause of cerebral ischaemia in thalassemic patients, cardiogenic embolism has been recently suggested as another possible stroke etiology. METHODS: We present four adult (sup)-thalassemia major patients with manifest cardiac involvement who suffered territorial strokes. RESULTS: In the presence of siderotoxic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia, we assumed cardiogenic embolism as etiology of stroke and initiated oral anticoagulation as preventive medication. Two of our patients were the first (sup)-thalassemia major patients who underwent successful thrombolysis with rtPA. CONCLUSIONS: Cardioembolism seems to be the cause of stroke in cases of (sup)-thalassemia major. Thrombolysis can be applied in the setting of acute brain ischaemia in such high risk patients. [ 2011 The Author(s). European Journal of Neurology 2011 EFNS.].
Comment: Take home points
1. Thal cases can be cardioembolic not just hypercoagulable and may benefit from anticoagulation
2. Thrombolysis might help in some cases
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