Left atrial deformation and risk of transient ischemic attack and stroke in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Left atrial (LA) remodeling is closely related to the occurrence of cerebral stroke; however, the relationship between early-stage impaired deformability of the left atrium and stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in LA deformability and to assess its relationship with stroke/TIA events using speckle tracking echocardiography. A total of 365 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-stroke/TIA [n = 318]; stroke/TIA [n = 47]) underwent comprehensive echocardiography with speckle tracking imaging to calculate mean LA longitudinal strain and strain rate values from apical 4-chamber, 2-chamber, and 3-chamber views. The stroke/TIA group was older, had a greater proportion of males, and had lower LA strain rate during left ventricular early diastole (SRE), and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). On univariate linear regression analysis, the following clinical and conventional echocardiographic parameters showed a significant linear correlation (P < .001) with SRE: E/A ratio; LA volume index (VI); body mass index; mean E/e'; left ventricular ejection fraction; age; and hypertension. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a linear dependence between SRE and E/A ratio, LA VI, and body mass index. The regression equation was y = -1.430-0.394X1 + 0.012X2 + 0.019X3 (P < .001) (y, SRE; X1, E/A ratio; X2, LA VI; X3, body mass index). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, SRE and sex ratio were independent risk factors for stroke/TIA (SRE, odds ratio 2.945 [95% confidence interval 1.092-7.943]; P = .033; sex, odds ratio 0.462 [95% confidence interval 0.230-0.930]; P = .031). Among patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, SRE reflected impaired deformability of the left atrium in the early stages and was associated with the risk of stroke/TIA.