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Are left atrial abnormalities a risk for stroke?

Amanj J Khidhir1, Ehsan K Al-Shimmery, Mohammed H Alwan

  • 1Department of Medicine, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq.

Neurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
|August 4, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Electrocardiographic left atrial abnormalities (ECG-LAA) are linked to ischemic stroke, while echocardiographic left atrial enlargement (Echo-LAE) affects both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke types equally. These findings suggest potential new risk factors for stroke.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Left atrial abnormalities are increasingly recognized as potential indicators of cardiovascular risk.
  • Understanding the relationship between cardiac morphology/function and stroke subtypes is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate echocardiographic left atrial enlargement (Echo-LAE) and electrocardiographic left atrial abnormalities (ECG-LAA) as potential novel risk factors for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
  • To determine the prevalence and association of ECG-LAA and Echo-LAE in stroke patients.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective case study of 140 patients with confirmed ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
  • Standard 12-lead ECG and 2D transthoracic echocardiography were performed.
  • ECG-LAA defined by P terminal force in V1 (PTFV1) >40 mm.ms; Echo-LAE defined by left atrial index >2.3 cm/m².

Main Results:

  • ECG-LAA was significantly more prevalent in ischemic stroke patients compared to hemorrhagic stroke patients.
  • Common causes for ECG-LAA included hypertension, advanced age, and coronary artery disease.
  • Echo-LAE was observed in 34% of ischemic and 30% of hemorrhagic strokes, with no significant difference between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • ECG-LAA is significantly associated with ischemic stroke but may not be an independent risk factor due to frequent co-occurrence with other risk factors.
  • Echo-LAE shows equal association with both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, indicating its potential role in the pathophysiology of both stroke types.
Abstract

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