Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Anticoagulants Versus Antiplatelet Therapy to Prevent Stroke Recurrence

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is found more frequently in patients with an ischemic stroke than in control subjects. Therapeutic options to prevent stroke recurrence include antiplatelet drugs, oral anticoagulants, and transcatheter closure of the foramen. However, there are no published studies showing convincingly the superiority of any one of these strategies in preventing stroke recurrence. The aim of this randomized clinical trial is to assess whether chronic anticoagulation on the one hand and transcatheter on the other hand are superior to chronic antiplatelet therapy in preventing stroke recurrence.