title: Influence of left atrial enlargement and body weight on the development of atrial fibrillation: retrospective study on 205 dogs.
abstract: We studied 205 dogs with cardiac diseases associated with left atrial enlargement (LAE). On the basis of electrocardiogram results, they were divided into: Group A, 50 dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF) and Group B, 155 dogs without AF. Group B was further subdivided in Group BI (123 dogs with sinus rhythm) and Group BII (32 dogs with cardiac arrhythmias other than AF). Bodyweight (BW) and left atrial diameter (LA) of Group A dogs were significantly greater (P< 0.05) than dogs in all other groups. The left atrium/aorta (LA/Ao) ratio of Group A dogs was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than that of dogs of Group B and BI. Using the couple of variables BW and LA, the logistic regression models were able to predict "non-development of AF" (with 92.3% probability) vs. "development of AF" (with 74% probability), and "maintaining sinus rhythm" (with 95.1% probability) vs."development of AF" (with 86% probability).
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy. cgugliel@penta.agrip.unipd.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guglielmini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chetboul
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pietra
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pouchelon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cipone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001835:Body Weight; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography