Left atrial mechanical dispersion assessed by strain echocardiography as an independent predictor of new-onset atrial fibrillation: a case-control study
Methods: Baseline echocardiography was performed at entry in 576 community-based participants at risk of heart failure or AF. In this case-control study, we compared 35 individuals with new-onset AF (age 70 ± 4 years; 57% men) over 2 years of follow-up with 35 age- and sex-matched individuals who did not develop AF from the same cohort. Using speckle-tracking echocardiography, we measured the LA strain in each of 12 segments in the two- and four-chamber views. LA mechanical dispersion was defined as the SD of time to peak positive strain corrected by the R-R interval (SD-TPS, %).
Results: There was no significant difference in LA volume index (32.5 ± 9.2 mL/m2 vs 29.5 ± 8.3 mL/m2; P = .16); patients with new-onset AF had significantly worse LA pump strain (16.6% ± 4.3% vs 20.6% ± 4.3%; P < .01) and reservoir strain (31.4% ± 7.7% vs 38.0% ± 7.3%; P < .01) than those without AF. SD-TPS was significantly higher in patients with AF than in those without it (6.3% ± 2.3% vs 3.9% ± 1.6%; P < .01). SD-TPS was independently associated with new-onset AF after adjustment for patient characteristics, LA volume, and strain (hazard ratio = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10-1.45; P < .01). In the nested Cox models, the model based on the LA volume and strain for predicting new onset AF was significantly improved by adding SD-TPS (P < .01).
Conclusions: LA dispersion obtained from strain echocardiography seems to provide incremental information about LA volume and function in the prediction of new-onset AF and warrants testing in a larger study.
History
Publication title
Journal of the American Society of EchocardiographyVolume
32Issue
10Pagination
1268-1276ISSN
0894-7317Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
MosbyPlace of publication
Inc, 11830 Westline Industrial Dr, St Louis, USA, Mo, 63146-3318Rights statement
Copyright 2019 American Society of EchocardiographyRepository Status
- Restricted