scholarly journals Predicting Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus from Left Atrial Volume and Confirmation by Computed Tomography with Delayed Enhancement

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-85
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Osawa ◽  
Rine Nakanishi ◽  
Indre Ceponiene ◽  
Negin Nezarat ◽  
William J. French ◽  
...  

Assessing thromboembolic risk is crucial for proper management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Left atrial volume is a promising predictor of cardiac thrombosis. To determine whether left atrial volume can predict left atrial appendage thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation, we conducted a prospective study of 73 patients. Left atrial and ventricular volumes were evaluated by cardiac computed tomography with retrospective electrocardiographic gating and then indexed to body surface area. Left atrial appendage thrombus was confirmed or excluded by cardiac computed tomography with delayed enhancement. Seven patients (9.6%) had left atrial appendage thrombus; 66 (90.4%) did not. Those with thrombus had a significantly higher mean left atrial end-systolic volume index (139 ± 55 vs 101 ± 35 mL/m2; P =0.0097) and mean left atrial end-diastolic volume index (122 ± 45 vs 84 ± 34 mL/m2; P =0.0077). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, left atrial end-systolic volume index (per 10 mL/m2 increase) was significantly associated with left atrial appendage thrombus (odds ratio [OR]=1.24; 95% CI, 1.03–1.50; P =0.02); so too was the left atrial end-diastolic volume index (per 10 mL/m2 increase) (OR=1.29; 95% CI, 1.05–1.60; P =0.02). These findings suggest that increased left atrial volume increases the risk of left atrial appendage thrombus. Therefore, patients with atrial fibrillation and an enlarged left atrium should be considered for cardiac computed tomography with delayed enhancement to confirm whether thrombus is present.

2020 ◽  
pp. 174749302096762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélique Bernard ◽  
Thibault Leclercq ◽  
Pierre-Olivier Comby ◽  
Gauthier Duloquin ◽  
Frédéric Ricolfi ◽  
...  

Background Detection of left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAt) in acute stroke patients can be improved by cardiac computed tomography using prospective electrocardiogram-gated volume acquisition, which was added to the acute stroke computed tomography protocol in our institution in 2018. Aims To evaluate the factors and clinical management associated with LAAt in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods We retrospectively included 324 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke from November 2018 to October 2019. Clinical data and post-stroke management were compared in LAAt and no-LAAt patients. Results Thirty-five patients (10.8%; 95%CI 7.4–14.2) had LAAt and 289 had no-LAAt. LAAt patients were significantly older (82 ± 12 vs. 74 ± 14 yo for no-LAAt, p = 0.002), predominantly female (71% vs. 45%, p = 0.004), and were more likely to have previous atrial fibrillation (63% vs. 15%, p < 0.001) and previous stroke (32% vs. 14%, p = 0.005). There was no significant difference between groups in stroke localization or severity scales at admission or at hospital discharge. After multivariable analysis, female sex (odds ratio 2.51; 95%CI 1.09–5.77, p = 0.031), previous atrial fibrillation (odds ratio 4.87; 95%CI 2.11–11.22, p < 0.001), and left atrial volume >86 ml (odds ratio 5.33; 95%CI 1.70–16.69, p = 0.004) were independently associated with LAAt. More than a third of LAAt patients (37%) received acute heparin therapy compared to 13% of no-LAAt patients (p < 0.001). Moreover, despite comparable stroke severity at admission, the mortality rate was markedly higher in the LAAt group than in the no-LAAt group (37% vs. 13%, p < 0.001). Conclusions Cardiac computed tomography for left atrial appendage thrombus evaluation in routine acute stroke imaging protocol could be beneficial for decision-making with regard to the initiation of early anticoagulation.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoto Hashimoto ◽  
Satoshi Nishiyama ◽  
Tetsu Watanabe ◽  
Masahiro Wanezaki ◽  
Gensai Yamaura ◽  
...  

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important risk factor of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Since AF patients with high CHADS2 score are likely to be old and have history of TIA or stroke, there could be patients who have sarcopenia. Cystatin C based estimated glomerular filtrarion rate (eGFRcys) is less affected by age, gender and muscle mass compared to creatine based eGFR (eGFRcr). We investigated whether eGFRcys is more closely associated with incident stroke in AF patients compared to eGFRcr. Methods: We performed transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and measured eGFRcys and eGFRcr in 349 patients with paroxysmal AF and chronic AF (256 males, 64.4 ± 11.7 years). We excluded those who had severe valvular heart disease and end stage renal desease. There were 42 patients with stroke history. Results: eGFRcys showed better correlation with left atrial volume index, levels of brain natriuretic peptide, von Willebrand factor, and left atrial appendage emptying flow velocity, than eGFRcr. eGFRcys was decreased with increading CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc score. Patients with left atrial appendage and/or spontaneous echo contrast had a significantly lower eGFRcys compared to those without. The proportion of patients with stroke was increased with advancing CKD stage in eGFRcys. Although eGFRcys and eGFRcr were associated with stroke in logistic regression analysis, eGFRcys but not eGFRcr was an independent predictor for stroke after adjustment for CHADS2 score. Conclusion: eGFRcys is a feasible parameter for incident stroke in AF patients.


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