Association between left atrial enlargement and poor cerebral collaterals in large vessel occlusion

Left atrial enlargement (LAE) is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation, a common cause of large vessel occlusion (LVO) leading to ischemic stroke. While robust cerebral collaterals protect penumbral tissue from infarction, the effect of structural heart disease on cerebral collaterals remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the association between LAE and cerebral collaterals in patients with acute LVO stroke.

We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with middle cerebral and/or internal carotid LVO who underwent endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) between 2012 to 2020. Consecutive patients with echocardiography and computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the head were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between LAE and poor cerebral collaterals, adjusting for demographics (age, sex, race) and vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes and smoking).

The study included 235 patients with mean age of 69±15 years and an initial mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 18. Of these, 89 (37.9 %) had LAE, and 105 (44.7 %) had poor collaterals. Patients with LAE were more likely to have poor collaterals compared to those without LAE (58.4 % vs 36.3 %, P = 0.001). LAE was independently associated with higher odds of poor collaterals (odds ratio, 2.47; P = 0.001), even after adjusting for covariables (odds ratio 1.84, P = 0.048).

Our study demonstrated a significant association between LAE and poor cerebral collaterals in patients with LVO stroke undergoing EVT. Further research is warranted to explore potential shared mechanisms, such as endothelial dysfunction, underlying this heart-brain association.