ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A273 AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF SILENT BRAIN INFARCTION AMONG REGISTERED CLINICIANS IN AUSTRALIA

Abstract Background and aims To identify the awareness and knowledge of silent brain infarction (SBI), a less well-known risk factor of symptomatic stroke, among registered clinicians in Australia based on braIn iMaging evaluAtion to optimise anticoaGulation managEment in Atrial Fibrillation (IMAGE-AF) survey data. Methods Structured questions - “Have you heard of SBI? (Yes/No)” and “Which of the listed statements on SBI is correct?” to clinicians in Australia whose daily work involves anticoagulation decisions for people with non-valvular AF but no stroke history. For the latter question, a check box was provided, consisting of 10 options related to the epidemiology, cause, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, implication, and treatment of SBI, such as SBI is more common in young than old adults, SBI can be caused by heart conditions, people with SBI always have neurological impairment, SBI is often an incidental finding from brain imaging examinations, SBI can be detected through a specific blood test, etc. Results From Aug/2025 to Dec/2025, 149 respondents of this survey answered these two questions (37% female, 48% from regional or rural areas, 80% GPs, 8% cardiologists, and 7% geriatricians). Among them, 140 (94%) expressed that they had heard of SBI. Fifty-three of the 140 respondents (38%) picked all correct statements on SBI, 47 (34%) ticked one incorrect statement or missed a correct statement, 26 (19%) had two and 14 (10%) had three or more wrong choices. Conclusions In Australia, most registered clinicians who are not specialised in brain health have good awareness of SBI and certain knowledge of it. Conflict of interest Z.Z. and O.M.: reports holding the 2025 UNSW Collaborative Seed Grant that supports this study; D.N.C., J.X., F.H., J.Y., C.H.: nothing to disclose.