title: Incidence of spontaneous echocontrast in left atrium in mitral stenosis detected by transoesophageal echo cardiography and related factors.
abstract: The incidence of left atrial (LA) spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) and the clinical and echocardiographic variables related to it were prospectively evaluated in a series of 60 patients with mitral stenosis (MS) undergoing transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with a 5 MHz multiplane transducer. LA-SEC was found in 39 patients (65%) employing TEE. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between the presence of SEC and MS without mitral regurgitation (MR) (P < 0.05), MS with < or = MR grade II (P < 0.05), atrial fibrillation (P < 0.001) and increased left atrial dimension (P < 0.05). Age, sex, mitral valve area and ejection fraction did not show any positive association (P > 0.05). Thus, it is concluded that LA-SEC is a common finding observed in approximately 65% of MS patients undergoing TEE and associated with conditions favouring stasis of left atrial blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, NICVD, Dhaka.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaher
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miah
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zaman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*