Cardiac diastolic dysfunction predicts in-hospital mortality in acute ischemic stroke with atrial fibrillation

The aim of this study was to identify whether diastolic dysfunction predicts in-hospital death in ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation.

We retrospectively analyzed data from enrolled patients with ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation who presented within 24h of onset. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate diastolic filling pressure estimated as the ratio of early transmitral flow velocity (E) to mitral annular velocity (e') within 24h of admission. We evaluated initial ischemic lesion volume and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score.

Two hundred and sixty-six patients were enrolled. During hospitalization, 30 patients (11%) died. The deceased group had a higher NIHSS score, a higher D-dimer level, a higher creatinine level, a larger initial ischemic lesion volume and a higher E/e' ratio than those in the survival group. In a multivariate analysis, a higher E/e' ratio was an independent predictor of in-hospital death. The cutoff value for the E/e' ratio for prediction in-hospital death was 20 with the sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 86%.

Diastolic dysfunction may be associated with in-hospital death in ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation.