Abstract: Objective To analyze the risk factors for patients with cryptogenic ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CICVD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO), as well as to evaluate the relationship between common risk factors and PFO in cerebral ischemia. Methods Consecutive patients with CICVD aged 15 to 70 years who referred to Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2008 to July 2011 were investigated. Identified by transesophageal echocardiography, they were divided into PFO group and non-PFO group with respect to outcome. The common risk factors of cerebral ischemic between 2 groups were compared. The relationship between these risk factors and PFO was analyzed. Results A total of 102 patients were investigated, including 61 patients (59.80%) with PFO and 41 patients (40.20%) without PFO. Positive family history of ischemic cerebrovascular disease proportion in PFO group (31.1%)was higher than that in non-PFO group (9.8%) (P=0.011). There was no significant difference in other observed indicators (P>0.05). Positive family history of ischemic cerebrovascular disease correlated with PFO among CICVD patients (r=0.251, P=0.011). Conclusion PFO was not only more common in CICVD patients, but also correlated with positive family history of ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Key words: infarction, cerebrovascular disorders, risk factors, patent foramen ovale, cryptogenic