Treatment of Cryptogenic Stroke Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Detected by Insertable Cardiac Monitors Reduces Recurrent Stroke Risk to Background Levels

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a well-known risk factor for ischemic stroke with a reported increased incidence range of 2.5 to 5-fold. However, it is not well established whether treatment of cryptogenic stroke patients with AF detected by insertable cardiac monitors (ICM) reduces the risk of recurrent stroke. Objective To compare recurrent stroke rates between cryptogenic stroke patients who have AF detected by ICMs and thus started on oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment and those without detected AF. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who received an ICM for the purpose of AF monitoring following a cryptogenic stroke between July 2015 and March 2019. Patients with prior documented AF history were excluded. We calculated the rates of AF detection and OAC initiation. We also compared recurrent stroke rates between patients with and without AF detected. Results A total of 298 cryptogenic stroke patients receiving an ICM and home remote monitoring were studied (mean age: 77 SD: 11.7; Female/Male: 147 (49%)/151; virtual CHA2DS2-VASc: 4.96 SD: 1.28). AF was newly detected in 91 (29.6%) patients over a mean follow-up of 46 months. Of these patients 68 (72.4%) were started on OAC, 12 (15.3%) were already on OAC and 11 (12.2%) remained not anticoagulated. Of the total patients evaluated, 22 patients (7.3%) developed recurrent strokes for an annualized stroke rate of 1.926%. Of those, 8 occurred among the 91 patients with newly detected AF, for an annualized stroke rate of 1.72%. The remining 14 recurrent strokes occurred among the 207 patients without AF detected, for an annualized stroke rate of 1.76%; (p=0.87). One recurrent stroke occurred in an AF patient not anticoagulated due to a prior bleeding event. No hemorrhagic strokes were reported in the AF-OAC group. Conclusion Our study found that newly AF was detected by ICM in almost 1/3 (29%) of cryptogenic stroke patients (consistent with previous studies), and the vast majority of them (88%) accordingly received oral anticoagulation. There was not a significant difference in recurrent stroke rates among patients with AF detected on OAC and those without AF detected. This suggests that rigorous arrhythmia monitoring with ICMs can help identify cryptogenic stroke patients with new AF and initiate oral anticoagulation accordingly, to reduce their risk of recurrent stroke to background levels. Annualized Stroke Risk Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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Abstract W MP65: Moderate to Severe Left Atrial Enlargement is Associated with Cardioembolic or Cryptogenic Stroke Recurrence in a Multiethnic Cohort: The Northern Manhattan Study

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.46.suppl_1.wmp65 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Shadi Yaghi ◽

Yeseon P Moon ◽

Consuelo Mora-McLaughlin ◽

Joshua Z Willey ◽

Marco R Di Tullio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Left Atrial ◽

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Cardioembolic Stroke ◽

Stroke Recurrence ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Stroke Subtypes ◽

Multiethnic Cohort

Background: While left atrial (LA) enlargement increases incident stroke risk, the association with recurrent stroke is unclear. Our aim was to determine the association of LA enlargement (LAE) with stroke recurrence risk and recurrent stroke subtypes likely related to embolism (cryptogenic or cardioembolic). Methods: We enrolled 655 first ischemic stroke patients in the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study. LA size was measured by two-dimensional echocardiogram as part of the clinical evaluation and patients were followed annually for up to 5 years. LA size adjusted for sex and body surface area was categorized into three groups: normal (52.7%), mild LAE (31.6%), and moderate to severe LAE (15.7%). The outcomes were total recurrent stroke, and recurrent combined cryptogenic or cardioembolic stroke. Cox proportional hazard models assessed the association between LA size and risk of stroke recurrence. Results: Of 655 patients, LA size data was present in 529 (81%). Mean age was 69 ± 13 years; 46% were male and 18% had atrial fibrillation. Over a median of 4 years, recurrent stroke occurred in 83 patients (16%), 29 were cardioembolic or cryptogenic stroke. After adjusting for baseline demographics and risk factors including atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure, compared to normal LA size, moderate to severe LAE was associated with greater risk of recurrent combined cardioembolic or cryptogenic stroke (adjusted HR 2. 99, 95% CI 1. 10 to 8.13), but not with risk of total stroke recurrence (adjusted HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.32). Mild LAE was not associated with either total stroke recurrence or the combined recurrent cryptogenic or cardioembolic stroke subtypes. Conclusion: Moderate to severe LAE is an independent marker of recurrent cardioembolic or cryptogenic stroke in a multiethnic cohort of ischemic stroke patients. Future research is needed to determine if anticoagulant use reduces the risk of recurrence in ischemic stroke patients with moderate to severe LAE.

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Recurrent Stroke Risk in Pilots with Atrial Fibrillation

Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance ◽

10.3357/amhp.5326.2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 352-357

Author(s):

Jessica Tedford ◽

Valerie Skaggs ◽

Ann Norris ◽

Farhad Sahiar ◽

Charles Mathers

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

General Population ◽

Recurrent Events ◽

Stroke Risk ◽

Event Rate ◽

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Previous History ◽

Recurrent Event ◽

Recurrence Rates ◽

Medical Certification

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias in the general population and is considered disqualifying aeromedically. This study is a unique examination of significant outcomes in aviators with previous history of both AF and stroke.METHODS: Pilots examined by the FAA between 2002 and 2012 who had had AF at some point during his or her medical history were reviewed, and those with an initial stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) during that time period were included in this study. All records were individually reviewed to determine stroke and AF history, medical certification history, and recurrent events. Variables collected included medical and behavior history, stroke type, gender, BMI, medication use, and any cardiovascular or neurological outcomes of interest. Major recurrent events included stroke, TIA, cerebrovascular accident, death, or other major events. These factors were used to calculate CHA2DS2-VASc scores.RESULTS: Of the 141 pilots selected for the study, 17.7% experienced a recurrent event. At 6 mo, the recurrent event rate was 5.0%; at 1 yr, 5.8%; at 3 yr 6.9%; and at 5 yr the recurrent event rate was 17.3%. No statistical difference between CHA2DS2-VASc scores was found as it pertained to number of recurrent events.DISCUSSION: We found no significant factors predicting risk of recurrent event and lower recurrence rates in pilots than the general population. This suggests CHA2DS2-VASc scores are not appropriate risk stratification tools in an aviation population and more research is necessary to determine risk of recurrent events in aviators with atrial fibrillation.Tedford J, Skaggs V, Norris A, Sahiar F, Mathers C. Recurrent stroke risk in pilots with atrial fibrillation. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(4):352–357.

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B-PO01-028 UTILIZATION OF CARDIAC MONITORING FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN CRYPTOGENIC STROKE PATIENTS

Heart Rhythm ◽

10.1016/j.hrthm.2021.06.174 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. S62

Author(s):

Matthew R. Reynolds ◽

Candace L. Gunnarsson ◽

Michael P. Ryan ◽

Sarah Rosemas ◽

Paul D. Ziegler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Cardiac Monitoring ◽

Stroke Patients

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Abstract P630: Detection of Atrial Fibrillation by Prolonged Cardiac Monitoring in Cryptogenic and Known Stroke Etiology

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.52.suppl_1.p630 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Michal krawczyk ◽

Sebastián Fridman ◽

Maria Bres Bullrich ◽

Palak Shah ◽

Juan C Vargas-Gonzalez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Left Atrial Volume ◽

Cardiac Monitoring ◽

Volume Index ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Therapeutic Decisions

Introduction: Approximately 25% of strokes are classified as cryptogenic (CS), while greater than 50% have an identifiable or ‘known’ etiology (KS). Several studies have demonstrated that prolonged cardiac monitoring (PCM) after cryptogenic stroke substantially increases the detection of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the yield of PCM in KS stroke is unknown. As a result, the majority of guidelines recommend restricting PCM to patients with cryptogenic stroke. If the detection of AF in KS is no different to cryptogenic stroke, it would suggest that this group too would similarly benefit from PCM, with the potential to impact therapeutic decisions (e.g. initiating anticoagulation). Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we compared AF detection by PCM (minimum of 48 hrs) between CS and KS patients without a previous diagnosis of AF. We developed a multivariate logistic regression model by including known and significant clinical, echocardiographic, and radiological factors known to be associated with the detection of AF. We reported results as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: We included 561 ischemic stroke patients, 376 with CS and 185 with KS. The median duration of PCM was 167h for CS and 48h for KS. AF was detected in 30 of 376 (8%) CS patients, and 20 of 185 (7.9%) KS patients. Age, history of thyroid disease, clinical presentation of dysarthria, wake-up stroke, and left atrial volume index on echocardiography were significantly associated with a new diagnosis of AF after stroke in the univariable analysis and were thus included in the logistic regression analysis. Additionally, duration of PCM was included in the multivariate model. After adjustment for potential confounders, AF detection by PCM was not significantly higher for CS than KS (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.25-3.32, P=0.94). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge this is the first study directly comparing the incidence of AF between CS and KS as the pre-specified primary outcome. Our findings suggest that CS and KS patients have similar rates of AF detection by PCM. Future prospective research is required to confirm these findings and to determine the cost-effectiveness of PCM in non-cryptogenic stroke patients.

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A Modified Anatomical-Functional-RoPE (AF-RoPE) Score Improves Patient Selection for Patent Foramen Ovale Closure

International Cardiovascular Forum Journal ◽

10.17987/icfj.v12i0.461 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Gianluca Rigatelli ◽

Marco Zuin ◽

Fabio Dell'Avvocata ◽

Luigi Pedon ◽

Roberto Zecchel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽

Foramen Ovale ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Stepwise Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Grade 5 ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Selection For ◽

Pfo Closure

Background: RoPE score calculator has been proposed to stratify the patients in whom PFO may be considered not a confounding but presumably a causative factor.Objectives To implement the RoPE score calculator.Methods. We reviewed the medical data of 1040 consecutive patients (mean age 47.3±17.1 years) prospectively enrolled in two centres over a 13 years period for management of PFO in order to select anatomic and functional parameters to be incorporated in a modified RoPE score. A scoring system (AF-RoPE) was build up and applied in a prospective blind fashion to a cohort of 406 consecutive patients (mean age 43.6 ±17. 5 years, 264 females) with cryptogenic stroke and PFO comparing its performance with the standard RoPE.Results. Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that right-to-left (R-L) shunt at rest (OR 5.9), huge ASA (> 20 mm) (OR 3.9), long tunnelized PFO (> 12 mm) (OR 3.5), and massive R-L shunt (grade 5 by TCD) (OR 1.9) conferred the highest risk of recurrent stroke. The AF-RoPE score resulted in a more precise separation of patients with RoPE score 8-10. Patients with AF-RoPE score > 11 had more stroke recurrences and more diffuse area of stroke on MRI in the medical history than those ranging 10 to 7 or less.Conclusion. The AF-RoPE score discriminates cryptogenic stroke patients who are more likely to develop recurrent stroke compared with a RoPE score between 8-10. These highest risk patients may be more likely to benefit from PFO closure.

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Abstract WP379: Sex-specific Effects of Comorbid Diabetes and Depression on Post-stroke Mortality in Individuals With Atrial Fibrillation

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.51.suppl_1.wp379 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Jodi Edwards ◽

Jessica Colby-Milley ◽

Jiming Fang ◽

Limei Zhou ◽

Baiju R Shah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Comorbid Depression ◽

Term Care ◽

Post Stroke ◽

Specific Effects ◽

Long Term Mortality

Background: Comorbid diabetes and depression are highly prevalent in atrial fibrillation (AF) and increase the risk of stroke. Women with AF show higher mortality rates and have worse functional outcomes post-stroke. However, the sex-specific effects of comorbid diabetes and depression on mortality and other adverse outcomes in stroke patients with a history of AF is unclear. Methods: Prospectively collected consecutive patients with ischemic stroke and known AF presenting to designated stroke centres in Ontario (2003-2013). Multinomial regression was used to determine sex-specific associations between diabetes and depression and in-hospital mortality post-stroke in individuals with AF. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the adjusted hazard of long-term mortality post-stroke and competing risks models to estimate hazards of recurrent stroke/TIA, admission to long-term care, and incident dementia post-discharge. Results: Among 5082 stroke patients with known AF (median age=80, IQR:73-85), female patients were more likely to have comorbid depression than males (63.5% vs. 36.5%) and those with comorbid diabetes and depression were younger (77 yrs) and had more vascular history (HTN, CAD, hyperlipidemia) than those with AF only. For males, comorbid diabetes increased the likelihood of in-hospital mortality post-stroke by 53% (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.16-2.02), after adjustment for stroke severity, demographic and clinical factors, while comorbid depression did not significantly impact in-hospital mortality and neither diabetes or depression affected in-hospital mortality post-stroke for females. However, diabetes was independently associated with increased hazard of long-term mortality for both female (HR=1.15, 95%CI=1.02-1.29) and male AF stroke patients (HR=1.35, 95%CI=1.19-1.53). No associations with recurrent stroke/TIA, institutionalization or dementia post-stroke were observed for either females or males. Conclusion: In stroke patients with known AF, comorbid diabetes but not depression was independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality for males and increased long-term mortality post-stroke for both females and males.

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Abstract 13915: Atrial Fibrillation Begets Atrial Fibrillation in Cryptogenic Stroke Patients: Results from the Crystal-AF Trial

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.130.suppl_2.13915 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽

Author(s):

Rod S Passman ◽

Jodi L Koehler ◽

Paul D Ziegler

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Secondary Stroke Prevention ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Cardiac Monitor ◽

Long Duration ◽

Episode Duration ◽

Duration Information ◽

The Impact ◽

Insertable Cardiac Monitor

Introduction: Initial episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) detected following a cryptogenic stroke (CS) may be brief in duration and the clinical relevance of such episodes is uncertain. Hypothesis: We investigated whether an initial brief episode of AF was predictive of subsequent long duration AF episodes in CS patients (pts) with an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM). Methods: CS pts (n=208, age 61.6±11.3 years, 66% male) randomized to the ICM arm of the CRYSTAL-AF study and inserted with a device (Reveal® XT) were followed for 21±9 months. AF episodes (>30 seconds) were independently adjudicated and the first adjudicated AF episode was classified as brief (<1 hour) or long (≥1 hour). The incidence of subsequent long duration AF episodes among pts with an initially brief episode was computed. The impact of episode duration on prescription of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy was also assessed. Results: Among 36 pts with an adjudicated AF episode for which duration information was available, the initial episode was classified as brief in 18 (50%) pts and long in 18 (50%) pts. Among those with initially brief episodes, 10 (56%) experienced only subsequent brief episodes while 8 (44%) went on to experience at least one long AF episode. The median time between the initial brief episode and first long AF episode was 75 days [interquartile range: 27-624 days]. OAC was prescribed in 7/10 pts (70%) with only brief AF episodes compared to 26/26 pts (100%) with at least one long episode of AF (p=0.017). Conclusion: Initial AF episodes in pts with CS are equally likely to be of short or long duration. However, nearly half of CS pts with initially brief episodes of AF subsequently have long duration episodes detected much later via prolonged monitoring with ICMs. Therefore, early detection of brief AF episodes may merit more rigorous monitoring of AF with ICMs since physicians were significantly more likely to prescribe OAC for secondary stroke prevention in response to longer duration episodes.

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Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Cryptogenic Stroke Patients With Major-Vessel Occlusion

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2020.580572 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Ryosuke Doijiri ◽

Hiroshi Yamagami ◽

Masafumi Morimoto ◽

Tomonori Iwata ◽

Tetsuya Hashimoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Major Vessel

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Frequent Premature Atrial Contractions in Cryptogenic Stroke Predict Atrial Fibrillation Detection with Insertable Cardiac Monitoring

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000505958 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 144-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kenichi Todo ◽

Tomonori Iwata ◽

Ryosuke Doijiri ◽

Hiroshi Yamagami ◽

Masafumi Morimoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

High Frequency ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

High Plasma ◽

Cardiac Monitoring ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Chads2 Score ◽

Index Stroke

Objective: To determine whether frequent premature atrial contractions (PAC) predict atrial fibrillation (AF) in cryptogenic stroke patients, we analyzed the association between frequent PACs in 24-h Holter electrocardiogram recording and AF detected by insertable cardiac monitoring (ICM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a database of 66 consecutive patients with cryptogenic stroke who received ICM implantation between October 2016 and March 2018 at 5 stroke centers. We included the follow-up data until June 2018 in this analysis. We defined frequent PACs as the upper quartile of the 66 patients. We analyzed the association of frequent PACs with AF detected by ICM. Results: Frequent PACs were defined as >222 PACs per a 24-h period. The proportion of patients with newly detected AF by ICM was higher in patients with frequent PACs than those without (50% [8/16] vs. 22% [11/50], p < 0.05). Frequent PACs were associated with AF detection and time to the first AF after adjustment for CHADS2 score after index stroke, high plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; >100 pg/mL) or serum N-terminal pro-BNP levels (>300 pg/mL), and large left atrial diameter (≥45 mm). Conclusion: High frequency of PACs in cryptogenic stroke may be a strong predictor of AF detected by ICM.

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