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Left Atrial Appendage Function in Patients with Cardioembolic Stroke in Sinus Rhythm and Atrial Fibrillation

2000; Elsevier BV; Volume: 13; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1067/mje.2000.105629

1097-6795

Necla Özer, Lale Tokgözoğlu, Kenan Övünç, Giray Kabakçı, Serdar Aksöyek, Kudret Aytemir, Sırrı Kes,

Cardiac Arrhythmias and Treatments

The purpose of this study was to determine the left atrial appendage (LAA) function in patients with stroke. The study group consisted of 61 patients with stroke and 37 control subjects. Patients with stroke were divided into 2 groups on the basis of the presence of atrial fibrillation (group 1) or sinus rhythm (group 2). Group 1 showed a significant reduction of LAA flow velocities (13.2 ± 6.4 cm/s versus 27.5 ± 8 cm/s, P <.05) and significant increase in LAA areas (minimum area: 360.5 ± 204 mm2 versus 217.7 ± 113.9 mm2, P =.004). Group 2 showed a decrease in LAA flow velocities (17.7 ± 8.2 cm/s versus 27.5 ± 8 cm/s, P <.05), but no significant change was found in LAA areas. No significant difference was found in other parameters related to LAA. These findings show that a decreased LAA flow velocity is a risk factor for stroke in patients in sinus rhythm without LAA enlargement. Left atrial appendage area was increased in size only in patients with atrial fibrillation. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2000;13:661-5)