Left atrial appendage function in patients with systemic embolism in spite of in sinus rhythm.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate whether left atrial (LA) appendage (LAA) function was impaired in patients with systemic embolism in sinus rhythm.


METHODS
Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 7 patients within 5 days after embolism (early group) and in 32 patients, more than 5 days after embolism (late group). We searched intracardiac thrombus and determined LAA area and LAA flow velocity, and the grade of spontaneous echocontrast.


RESULTS
LA thrombus could be detected in 2 of the 39 patients only in early group (P = .028). The patients of early group, as compared with late group, had lower LAA flow velocity (28 +/- 16 vs 60 +/- 26 cm/s, P = .007) and higher grade of spontaneous echocontrast score (1.14 +/- 1.46 vs 0.25 +/- 0.62, P = .013). LA dimension and LAA area were not statistically different.


CONCLUSIONS
LAA function may be impaired early after embolism even in sinus rhythm.
Okamoto
Mitsunori
M
Department of Cardiology, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. okafufu@ccv.ne.jp
Fujii
Yuichi
Y
Makita
Yuko
Y
Kajihara
Kenta
K
Yamasaki
Sumie
S
Iwamoto
Akimichi
A
Hashimoto
Masaki
M
Sueda
Takashi
T
Yoshida
Naoyasu
N
D000368:Aged; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography