title: Transthoracic echocardiography during sinus rhythm identifies elderly patients with nonvalvular paroxysmal atrial fibrillation at high risk of cerebral infarction.
abstract: We performed transthoracic echocardiography during sinus rhythm in elderly nonvalvular paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (NV-PAF) patients (> or =65 years) with cerebral infarction and in patients without cerebral infarction. This study suggests that elderly NV-PAF patients at high risk for cerebral infarction seem to have a pseudonormalization pattern of transmitral inflow, and decreased atrial reversal flow of pulmonary venous flow, and increased left atrial volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Zentsuji National Hospital, Kagawa, Japan. ksakabe@jun.ncvc.go.jp
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakabe
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Yamato
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Satofumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.forename: Hisanori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000502:physiology