Garg A, et al. - By analyzing results from 6 randomized controlled trials involving 3,747 patients, researchers investigated whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure affords a safe and effective option vs medical therapy (MT), based on PFO characteristics, in patients with cryptogenic stroke. In this comprehensive meta-analysis, 1,889 patients who underwent PFO closure and 1,858 patients assigned to the MT group were included. They found that mortality or major bleeding did not differ between the two groups but a higher risk of newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation was observed in the PFO closure group vs MT. Findings revealed a significantly reduced risk of recurrent stroke in relation to PFO closure vs MT in patients with cryptogenic stroke, as well as the possible dependence of PFO closure benefit on certain PFO features.