title: Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast in mitral valve disease: an indicator for an increased thromboembolic risk.
abstract: The incidence of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast was evaluated in 52 patients with isolated or predominant mitral valve stenosis (Group 1) and 70 other patients who had undergone mitral valve replacement (Group 2). All patients were studied by conventional transthoracic and transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiography. Spontaneous echo contrast could be visualized within the left atrium in 35 Group 1 patients (67.3%) (including 7 patients with sinus rhythm) and 26 Group 2 patients (37.1%) (all with atrial fibrillation). Patients with spontaneous echo contrast had a significantly larger left atrial diameter and a greater incidence of both left atrial thrombi and a history of arterial embolic episodes than did patients without spontaneous echo contrast. Association between spontaneous echo contrast and left atrial thrombi and a history of arterial embolization (considered individually or in combination) showed a high sensitivity and negative predictive value. It is concluded that spontaneous echo contrast is a helpful finding for identification of an increased thromboembolic risk in patients with mitral stenosis and after mitral valve replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hannover Medical School, West Germany.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nellessen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nonnast-Daniel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bednarski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nikutta
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lichtlen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000473:pathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants