Introduction Although distinct pathogenetic mechanisms for ischemic stroke have long been recognized, a definite or even probable etiology can not be established in about one third of all patients (“cryptogenic strokes”). Recent studies have shown that high-resolution carotid MRI is able to identify complicated American Heart Association lesion type VI (AHA-LT6) with hemorrhage, thrombus or rup...

Approximately 40% of ischemic strokes have no clearly definable etiology and are termed cryptogenic strokes. Patent foramen ovale, a small communication between the left and right atria, is considered to be a risk factor for cerebral embolism. In this study, we report the case of a 29-year-old woman with diagnosis of ischemic stroke due to patent foramen ovale who has undergone percutaneous end...

BACKGROUND Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually develops in cirrhotic livers, a minority of cases occur in noncirrhotic livers (NCLs). We investigated etiology, clinicopathological features, and occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) in patients with NCL HCC in an HBV-endemic area. METHODS A total of 710 patients who underwent resection or transplantation for HCC at the Nat...

BACKGROUND Current guidelines recommend at least 24 hours of electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring after an ischemic stroke to rule out atrial fibrillation. However, the most effective duration and type of monitoring have not been established, and the cause of ischemic stroke remains uncertain despite a complete diagnostic evaluation in 20 to 40% of cases (cryptogenic stroke). Detection of atri...

Stroke associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) carries a more unfavourable prognosis, and current screening guidance suggests electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring for at least 24 hours. It should be noted, however, that 24-hour monitoring in cryptogenic strokes has relatively low rates of AF detection (1.4–6%). Prolonged ECG monitoring can demonstrate that a significant proportion of ‘cryptogeni...

Cryptogenic Organising Pneumonia (COP), also called idiopathic Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organising Pneumonia( BOOP), is a distinct entity among the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias defined histopathologically by intraalveolar buds of granulation tissue. The etiology includes idiopathic, infectious, drug induced radiation induced and connective tissue diseases. Organising pneumonia occurs part...

Cryptogenic Organising Pneumonia (COP) is a relatively rare condition and can be difficult to differentiate from Community acquired pneumonia (CAP). We report two cases which demonstrate the importance of considering this differential diagnosis in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax who have raised inflammatory markers or lung infiltrates. Our report highlights the value of serum procalciton...

A 3.5-year follow-up study of cognition and behaviour in 42 children with newly diagnosed idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy ('epilepsy only') attending mainstream education and 30 healthy gender-matched classmate controls was carried out to identify differences between groups, to detect factors that contribute to the difference and its change over time, and to establish the proportion of poorl...

We report a case of cryptogenic liver cirrhosis likely due to khat consumption diagnosed in the setting of chronic hypertension and giving the appearance of atypical superimposed preeclampsia.

Stating a well-codified and widely accepted therapeutic conduct for patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and previous cryptogenic stroke is made difficult and somewhat controversial by several issues remained unresolved so far. In this short review, some aspects of the possible role played by the PFO in the pathogenesis of cryptogenic stroke are succinctly analyzed. First, some aspects of c...