20.500.12556/DiRROS-29655 Patent foramen ovale-associated stroke and COVID-19 vaccination Background: COVID-19 infection has been associated with paradoxical thromboembolism through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and ischaemic stroke. Such events have not been reported after COVID-19 vaccination. The aim of the present study was to investigate PFO-associated stroke during the mass COVID-19 vaccination in Slovenia. Methods: This prospective study, conducted between 26 December 2020 and 31 March 2022, enrolled consecutive patients (≥18 years) with PFO-associated stroke referred for a percutaneous closure to a single interventional facility in Slovenia. Results: A total of 953,546 people aged between 18 and 70 years received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. Of the 28 patients presenting with PFO-associated stroke, 12 patients (42.9%) were vaccinated prior to the event, of whom nine were women and three were men, aged between 21 and 70 years. Stroke occurred within 35 days after vaccination in six patients (50%). Clinical presentation included motor dysphasia, paresis, vertigo, ataxia, paraesthesia, headache, diplopia and hemianopia. At hospital discharge, 11 patients (91.6%) had at least one residual ischaemic lesion. Conclusion: A temporal coincidence of COVID-19 vaccination and PFOassociated stroke has been described. A potential cause–effect relationship may only be hypothesised. PFO-associated stroke COVID-19 vaccination patent foramen ovale stroke true false true Angleški jezik Ni določen Neznano 2026-06-02 12:01:37 2026-06-02 12:01:38 2026-06-03 03:56:38 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2023 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 20. 5. 2026; 5 str. article no. ǂ10 Vol. 18 2023 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 616.12 1756-1485 10.15420/icr.2022.27 278717443 RAZ_Rojko_Maja_2023.pdf RAZ_Rojko_Maja_2023.pdf 1 CA8B7D11404240BBB66E68E186A703E5 6923454e9426d99bdc527d824ea5480bfd04f2bc7b40addfbca08c9dba1d72f5 6b061ad7-5e6b-11f1-8e51-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=44531 https://www.icrjournal.com/articles/patent-foramen-ovale-associated-stroke-and-covid-19-vaccination 1 0c1c4cce-5e6a-11f1-8e51-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=44530 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0