title: Hemodynamic abnormalities in the left atrial appendage in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, with special reference to albumin-contrast echocardiographic aspects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the prolonged dysfunction of the left atrial appendage caused by paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transesophageal echocardiography with intravenous albumin-microspheres (Albunex, 0.2 ml/kg) was performed in 100 consecutive patients (44 patients in sinus rhythm without previous paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: 13 patients in sinus rhythm who had had previous episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; and 43 patients with sustained atrial fibrillation). We compared the left atrial appendage ejection fraction and degree of opacification in the left atrial appendage with Albunex in the groups. Patients with previous paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had lower left atrial appendage ejection fractions than patients in sinus rhythm without paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (33 +/- 14 vs. 47 +/- 14%, p < 0.001). More than half of the patients (7/13 [54%]) with previous paroxysmal atrial fibrillation showed delayed and incomplete opacification of the left atrial appendage with Albunex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation causes left atrial appendage stunning, at least in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Fukui Kosei Hospital, Fukui, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanehara
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000418:Albumins; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; C060687:Albunex; D003287:Contrast Media