Stroke associated with left cardiac catheterization is a devastating complication, and its incidence has not changed over the decades.

We investigated the incidence, in-hospital outcomes and the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for periprocedural ischemic stroke.

Our retrospective cohort study included all patients experiencing periprocedural ischemic stroke among the 24,500 patients who underwent left cardiac catheterization between January 2003 and October 2010. The case group was compared with a group of control patients randomly selected among those who underwent the procedure during this period.

Ischemic cerebrovascular events attested by brain imaging occurred in 37 patients (0.15% of procedures), transient ischemic attack occurred in 9 cases, and persistent neurological deficit occurred in 28 cases.

Patients who developed strokes were more likely to be older and were more often female with a greater prevalence of comorbidities. Emergency and longer procedures were more frequent in patients in the case group who had more coronary complications.

A multivariate analysis identified diabetes mellitus (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.2; 95% CI 1.8-9.9; P < .001), chronic renal dysfunction (OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.1-5.4; P < .001), known cerebrovascular disease (OR 5.1; 95% CI 2.3-11.5; P < .001), emergency procedure (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4-9.2; P < .01) and recent congestive heart failure (OR 6.1; 95% CI 2.9-13; P < .001) as independent predictors for stroke. The independent modifiable predictive factors were represented by left ventricular angiography (OR 7.5; 95% CI 2.7-21; P < .001), and low operator volume (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.3-7.4; P < .01).

Limiting the performance of left cardiac catheterization to high volume operators and avoiding unnecessary left ventricular angiography may reduce periprocedural ischemic stroke.