Echocardiographic evidence of left atrial abnormality in young patients with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Usual assessment of left atrial size by 2-dimensional echocardiography in the anteroposterior dimension often underestimates the true atrial size. We compared 15 young patients (< or =50 years old) with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to age-matched controls, and measured atrial size in the inferosuperior and mediolateral dimensions. These additional measurements and atrial volumes were significantly increased compared with control patients, revealing that patients with apparent "lone" paroxysmal atrial fibrillation may have subtle structural abnormalities of the left atrium.
Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Robert S
RS
Phang
Steven M
SM
Isserman
Darshak
D
Karia
Natesa G
NG
Pandian
Munther K
MK
Homoud
Mark S
MS
Link
N A Mark
NA
Estes
Paul J
PJ
Wang
D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D002306:Cardiac Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology