The Review of Transient Ischemic Attack Patients: An Experience of a Clinic about Diagnosis and Follow-up

OBJECTIVES: Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is due to a temporary lack of adequate blood and oxygen to the brain. TIAs typically last less than 24 hours. 10-15% of ischemic stroke patients have a history of TIA. 18% of them experience an ischemic stroke within 90 days, and the ABCD2 scoring system is used to estimate the risk. Our study aims to investigate the risk factors, the etiology, the lesion occurrence on MRI and the near-term risk of stroke of patients on whom TIA was diagnosed. METHODS: In this study, 124 patients were included between January 2012 and January 2018. Sixty-eight of the 124 patients were male. The history of patients was questioned; systemic and neurological examinations were made. The stroke risk factors and TIA duration were noted and ABCD2 scores were calculated. All the patients’ blood samples, including glucose and lipid profile, were studied. They received CT, DWI MRI, electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography, ultrasound and/or MR angiography of the cervical arteries. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four patients were included in this study, and 56 patients were female. The mean age was 63.04±16.77. Hypertension was the most common risk factor (50.8%). Twenty-seven patients were on antithrombotic; six patients were on anticoagulant therapy, while 91 patients were not receiving any antiaggregan therapy. ABCD2 scores were significantly higher on the antithrombotic therapy group (p=0.019). In 52 patients ABCD2 score was below 4, and in 72 patients, the score was greater than 4. In 67.7% of patients, no etiology was found. An ischemic lesion was detected in 16.9% of the patients. 58 % of the patients were discharged on anticoagulant therapy. Five patients developed ischemic stroke. CONCLUSION: The risk factors of ischemic stroke and TIAs are similar factors. The etiology of TIAs cannot be found out in most of the patients. Thus, the patients are discharged with oral anticoagulant treatment.