Racial differences in aortic atheroma in patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography for unexplained stroke or transient ischemic attack

Racial differences in the prevalence of complex thoracic aortic atheroma were evaluated in 318 patients referred for transesophageal echocardiography after unexplained stroke or transient ischemic attack. African-Americans were found to have fewer complex thoracic aortic atheroma and fewer combined cardiac sources of embolus than Caucasian patients. This finding persists after adjusting for racial differences in atherosclerotic risk factors.