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Murine Echocardiography of Left Atrium, Aorta, and Pulmonary Artery
Published on: February 20, 2017
[Left atrium diameter: a simple echocardiographic parameter with high prognostic value in heart failure]
Elisabet Zamora1, Josep Lupón, Jorge López-Ayerbe
1Unitat d'Insuficiència Cardíaca, Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
Medicina Clinica
|October 24, 2007
Summary
Left atrium diameter (LAD) is a strong predictor of 2-year mortality in heart failure patients. A larger LAD (≥25 mm/m2) significantly increases mortality risk compared to a smaller LAD (<25 mm/m2).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Echocardiography
- Heart Failure Research
Background:
- Left atrium diameter (LAD) is an easily obtainable echocardiographic parameter.
- LAD is influenced by systolic/diastolic ventricular dysfunction and mitral regurgitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate LAD as a predictor of 2-year mortality in heart failure (HF) patients.
- To compare LAD with other echocardiographic parameters for prognostic value in HF.
Main Methods:
- Study included 368 HF patients (73% male, mean age 65.2 years).
- Echocardiographic parameters assessed: LAD, LVEF, LV dimensions, mitral regurgitation, diastolic dysfunction, pulmonary artery pressure.
- Patients were followed for 2-year mortality.
Main Results:
- Two-year mortality was 20.6%.
- Univariate analysis showed LAD, LV end-diastolic/end-systolic diameters, mitral regurgitation, and diastolic dysfunction predicted mortality.
- Multivariate analysis revealed LAD as the only independent echocardiographic predictor of mortality.
- LAD ≥25 mm/m2 was associated with significantly higher 2-year mortality (30.1%) compared to LAD <25 mm/m2 (10.9%).
Conclusions:
- LAD is a significant and independent predictor of 2-year mortality in outpatient HF populations.
- LAD demonstrates superior prognostic value compared to other echocardiographic parameters in this HF cohort.
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