Left Atrial Enlargement in Cryptogenic Strokes Without Atrial Fibrillation
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Rashid Hytham, Pham Cecilia, Brown Jonathan, Pansuriya Tushar, Niknam Negar, Ring Shai, Srinivasan Aswin, Ali Zuhair, Sarva Siva T, Raza Syed A
Primary Institution: HCA Houston Healthcare, Kingwood, USA
Hypothesis
There is a direct correlation between the prevalence of left atrial enlargement and the incidence of primary cryptogenic strokes.
Conclusion
Left atrial enlargement is a significant risk factor for cryptogenic strokes in patients without atrial fibrillation.
Supporting Evidence
- 74 (48%) patients met at least one criterion for left atrial enlargement.
- The mean left atrial diameter for patients with LAE was 4.1 cm compared to 3.4 cm for those without.
- The mean left atrial volume index for patients with LAE was 29.68 mL/m2 compared to 18.44 mL/m2 for those without.
- Patients with LAE had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes.
- Logistic regression modeling was used to examine correlations in the population.
- Identifying left atrial enlargement may help in stroke prevention strategies.
- Routine screening for LAE in patients with cryptogenic strokes is recommended.
- Further research is needed to explore the clinical relevance of LAE in stroke management.
Takeaway
This study found that having a bigger left atrium can increase the chances of having a stroke, even if you don't have a heart rhythm problem.
Methodology
A multi-center, retrospective, cross-sectional study analyzing echocardiogram data from patients diagnosed with cerebral infarction.
Potential Biases
Selection bias may be present due to the exclusion of patients with known stroke risk factors.
Limitations
The study's sample size was limited due to strict exclusion criteria and the lack of echocardiogram reports for many patients.
Participant Demographics
The study population included 51% males, 67.5% Caucasian, with 70% diagnosed with hypertension and 31% with diabetes.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.939-0.994
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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