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Echocardiography and Electrocardiography in Detecting Atrial Cardiomyopathy: A Promising Path to Predicting
Delicia Gentille-Lorente1,2, Alba Hernández-Pinilla3, Eva Satue-Gracia4
1Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Verge de la Cinta, 43500 Tortosa, Spain.
Insights
Left atrial dysfunction, identified by echocardiography, is linked to electrocardiogram abnormalities, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Atrial cardiomyopathy creates a prothrombotic state, increasing risks for atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events like stroke.
- Left atrial reservoir strain is a key echocardiographic marker for prognosis in atrial cardiomyopathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify atrial cardiomyopathy by examining the link between left atrial dysfunction on echocardiography and P-wave abnormalities on ECG.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multicenter cohort study involving 100 high-risk patients for atrial fibrillation.
- Evaluation included diverse echocardiography techniques and standard electrocardiography.
Main Results:
- Left atrial dysfunction (reservoir strain < 26%) correlated with left atrial dilation (p < 0.001) and reduced left atrial ejection fraction (p < 0.001).
- Significant associations were found with advanced interatrial block (p = 0.032), low P-wave voltage in lead I (p = 0.008), and MVP ECG score (p = 0.036).
Conclusions:
- Left atrial dysfunction is significantly related to left atrial enlargement and specific ECG markers.
- These findings highlight non-invasive echocardiographic and ECG biomarkers for atrial cardiomyopathy.
Abstract:
(1) Background: Atrial cardiomyopathy constitutes an intrinsically prothrombotic atrial substrate that may promote atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events, especially stroke, independently of the arrhythmia. Atrial reservoir strain is the echocardiography marker with the most robust evidence supporting its prognostic utility. The main aim of this study is to identify atrial cardiomyopathy by investigating the association between left atrial dysfunction in echocardiography and P-wave abnormalities in the surface electrocardiogram. (2) Methods: This is a community-based, multicenter, prospective cohort study. A randomized sample of 100 patients at a high risk of developing atrial fibrillation were evaluated using diverse echocardiography imaging techniques, and a standard electrocardiogram. (3) Results: Significant left atrial dysfunction, expressed by a left atrial reservoir strain < 26%, showed a relationship with the dilation of the left atrium (p < 0.001), the left atrial ejection fraction < 50% (p < 0.001), the presence of advanced interatrial block (p = 0.032), P-wave voltage in lead I < 0.1 mV (p = 0.008), and MVP ECG score (p = 0.036). (4) Conclusions: A significant relationship was observed between left atrial dysfunction and the presence of left atrial enlargement and other electrocardiography markers; all of them are non-invasive biomarkers of atrial cardiomyopathy.
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