Key result
Continuous 4-week ECG monitoring using adhesive electrodes was feasible in patients with recent ESUS, with 89.5% completing ≥80% of monitoring and atrial fibrillation detected in 12.3%.
Why the study?
Atrial fibrillation often escapes routine stroke workup due to its unpredictable, asymptomatic nature, leaving patients at high risk of recurrent stroke.
Does continuous 4-week ECG monitoring with an adhesive electrode detect atrial fibrillation in patients with recent embolic stroke of undetermined source?
Cohort (n=57)
Does continuous 4-week ECG monitoring with an adhesive electrode detect atrial fibrillation in patients with recent embolic stroke of undetermined source?
A 4-week continuous ECG monitoring strategy using an external adhesive device is highly feasible and detects occult atrial fibrillation in 12.3% of patients with recent ESUS.
Supports feasibility of prolonged monitoring in ESUS; leaves open impact on anticoagulation and stroke prevention.
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently escapes routine stroke workup due to its unpredictable and often asymptomatic nature, leaving a significant portion of patients at high risk of recurrent stroke. Recent trials emphasized continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring in the detection of occult AF. We screened AF in patients meeting the embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS) criteria using an external miniaturized recorder with an adhesive electrode. METHODS: Patients aged ≥50 with recent ESUS were prospectively screened and assigned to wear a 1-lead ECG device capable to record continuous ECG for up to 4 weeks. Electrodes were replaced every 3-4 days. Primary outcome was proportion of patients completing at least 80% of monitoring. Secondary outcome measures included incidence of AF and initiation of oral anticoagulation therapy after AF detection. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were monitored (mean age 64.5 ± 8.2 years, median delay from stroke to the start of monitoring 8 days, IQR 4-44). Of these, 51 patients (89.5%) completed at least 80% of the desired monitoring period. We detected AF ≥30 s in seven patients (12.3%), all of whom initiated anticoagulation therapy. Atrial fibrillation was revealed in six patients (85.7%) within the first week of monitoring. Compared to patients without AF, patients with AF were older (70.6 ± 5.1 vs. 63.6 ± 8.3 years, p < 0.011) and more obese (body mass index 30.0 ± 3.4 vs. 26.6 ± 4.6, p < 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged ECG monitoring with an external device using adhesive electrodes is feasible in ESUS patients, since nine out of ten patients used the device appropriately and AF was detected in one out of eight patients.
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Lumikari et al. (2019) conducted a cohort in Embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS) (n=57). Continuous 4-week ECG monitoring with an external miniaturized recorder and adhesive electrode was evaluated on Proportion of patients completing at least 80% of monitoring. Continuous 4-week ECG monitoring using adhesive electrodes was feasible in patients with recent ESUS, with 89.5% completing ≥80% of monitoring and atrial fibrillation detected in 12.3%.
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