Key result
Septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) independently predicted subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized for embolic stroke of unknown source (HR 1.10).
Why the study?
Subclinical AF is the underlying cause in a relevant part of patients with ESUS, but novel echocardiographic parameters to predict subsequently detected AF were needed.
Does septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) predict subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients with embolic stroke of unknown source?
Observational (n=175)
Single-blind
No
Does septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) predict subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients with embolic stroke of unknown source?
Hazard Ratio: 1.1 (95% CI 1.04–1.17)
p-value: p=0.001
Septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) determined by echocardiography is a strong independent predictor of subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized for embolic stroke of unknown source.
sPA-TDI may stratify ESUS patients for subclinical AF risk; hypothesis-generating and needs prospective validation before guiding practice.
BACKGROUND: Subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) is the underlying cause in a relevant part of patients with embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS). This pilot study aims to identify novel echocardiographic parameters predicting AF subsequently detected in patients originally hospitalized with ESUS. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke [baseline diagnosis of ESUS (n = 69), stroke of macro- or microvascular cause (n = 16/25), stroke caused by AF (n = 5)] and controls with paroxysmal AF without acute ischemic stroke (n = 22) as well as healthy controls of young and old age (n = 21/17) in sinus rhythm were included (overall n = 175). Echocardiography was performed in all participants. Prolonged Holter-ECG-monitoring was performed in all stroke patients. In the overall cohort, septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI), left atrial (LA) volume index to tissue Doppler velocity (LAVI/a`) and second negative peak strain rate during LA contraction (SRa), representing echocardiographic parameters of LA remodelling and function, were statistically significant different in patients with and without AF and predictive for subclinical AF (multivariate regression analysis: sPA-TDI: HR 1.06 [1.04-1.08], p < 0.001; LAVI/a`: HR 0.85, [0.74-0.97], p = 0.02; SRa: HR 2.35 [0.9-5.5], p = 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed sPA-TDI as an independent predictor of AF in ESUS patients (sPA-TDI: HR 1.10 [1.04-1.17], p = 0.001). A sPA-TDI of 126 ms strictly discriminated between presence and absence of subclinical AF within 48 h after initiation of Holter-ECG-monitoring in ESUS patients. CONCLUSIONS: sPA-TDI seems to be a strong independent predictor of subclinical AF in patients hospitalized for ESUS and might support risk-stratified clinical decision making in these patients. Septal Total Atrial Conduction Time (sPA-TDI) determined by echocardiography for prediction of Atrial Fibrillation in Embolic Stroke of Unknown Source (ESUS).
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Sieweke et al. (2019) conducted an observational in Embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS) (n=175). Septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) vs. Lower sPA-TDI / Absence of subclinical AF was evaluated on Prediction of subclinical atrial fibrillation in ESUS patients (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.17, p=0.001). Septal total atrial conduction time (sPA-TDI) independently predicted subclinical atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized for embolic stroke of unknown source (HR 1.10).
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