Flemming Javier Olsen1, Peter Godsk Jørgensen2, Rasmus Møgelvang3, Jan Skov Jensen2, Thomas Fritz-Hansen3, Jan Bech3, Tor Biering-Sørensen4. 1. Department of Cardiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: flemming.j.olsen@gmail.com. 2. Department of Cardiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 3. Department of Cardiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Department of Cardiology, Herlev Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Often the underlying cause of cerebral ischemia (CI) cannot be found during a routine diagnostic investigation, but paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) could be the culprit. AIM: The objective of the study is to investigate whether advanced echocardiography improves the diagnostic approach for PAF in CI. METHODS: The study included 286 CI patients with an echocardiogram in sinus rhythm. Patients were divided by PAF occurrence (PAF: n = 86, non-PAF: n = 200). PAF was defined as 1 or more reported episodes of atrial fibrillation. Echocardiograms consisted of conventional measures, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and speckle tracking. TDI was performed to acquire myocardial peak velocities during systole/ventricular contraction (global s'), early diastole/ventricular filling (global e'), and late diastole/atrial contraction (global a'). Speckle tracking was performed for myocardial strain analysis, thereby retrieving global longitudinal strain and global strain rate (s, e, a) values. RESULTS: Patients with PAF exhibited significantly impaired atrial contractile measures: global a' (-7.0 cm/second versus -5.7 cm/second, P < .001) and global strain rate a (.97 second(-1) versus .81 second(-1), P < .001). Both were univariable markers of PAF, and along with age remained the only independent significant determinants of PAF after multivariable logistic regression. Area under the curve (AUC) for age, global a', and global strain rate a significantly exceeded AUC for age alone (.79 versus .76, P = .032). Cutoff values with the highest sensitivity and specificity for these 3 parameters improved the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 32%, negative predictive value = 95%, and positive predictive value = 38%). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial contractile measures by advanced echocardiography are significant determinants of PAF in CI. However, there is no discriminatory power to make them clinically useful at the current moment.
BACKGROUND: Often the underlying cause of cerebral ischemia (CI) cannot be found during a routine diagnostic investigation, but paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) could be the culprit. AIM: The objective of the study is to investigate whether advanced echocardiography improves the diagnostic approach for PAF in CI. METHODS: The study included 286 CI patients with an echocardiogram in sinus rhythm. Patients were divided by PAF occurrence (PAF: n = 86, non-PAF: n = 200). PAF was defined as 1 or more reported episodes of atrial fibrillation. Echocardiograms consisted of conventional measures, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and speckle tracking. TDI was performed to acquire myocardial peak velocities during systole/ventricular contraction (global s'), early diastole/ventricular filling (global e'), and late diastole/atrial contraction (global a'). Speckle tracking was performed for myocardial strain analysis, thereby retrieving global longitudinal strain and global strain rate (s, e, a) values. RESULTS:Patients with PAF exhibited significantly impaired atrial contractile measures: global a' (-7.0 cm/second versus -5.7 cm/second, P < .001) and global strain rate a (.97 second(-1) versus .81 second(-1), P < .001). Both were univariable markers of PAF, and along with age remained the only independent significant determinants of PAF after multivariable logistic regression. Area under the curve (AUC) for age, global a', and global strain rate a significantly exceeded AUC for age alone (.79 versus .76, P = .032). Cutoff values with the highest sensitivity and specificity for these 3 parameters improved the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 32%, negative predictive value = 95%, and positive predictive value = 38%). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial contractile measures by advanced echocardiography are significant determinants of PAF in CI. However, there is no discriminatory power to make them clinically useful at the current moment.
Authors: Flemming J Olsen; Louisa M Christensen; Derk W Krieger; Søren Højberg; Nis Høst; Finn M Karlsen; Jesper H Svendsen; Hanne Christensen; Tor Biering-Sørensen Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2019-10-08 Impact factor: 2.357