Seo WK, et al. – This study was performed to test the hypothesis that if elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) levels in stroke patients were associated with thrombogenesis, then patients with a well–known high risk of embolic sources would have high FFA levels. Irrespective of the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF), FFA levels increased in groups with a higher risk of cardioembolic stroke among acute stroke patients. These outcomes proposed that in patients with cardioembolic stroke, enhanced thrombogenicity could be the main mechanism to explain the elevated FFA levels.

• The physicians analyzed data collected from 2 hospital-based stroke registries to examine the association between FFA and potential sources of cardioembolism (PSCE).

• The physicians selected 2,770 acute stroke patients, including 539 with cardioembolic stroke for analysis.
• For cardioembolism, FFA was an independent predictor (OR 2.755, 95% CI 2.221-3.417, p < 0.001).
• FFA levels were significantly correlated with high risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure with low ejection fraction, left atrial thrombus, left ventricular thrombus, left atrial smoke, and ventricular wall motion abnormality among the PSCE.
• Without interaction with the presence of AF, FFA levels increased with the number of PSCE per patient.