title: Prognostic value of left atrial volume in patients who underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography for known or suspected coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Left atrial volume indexed (LAVI) has been reported as a predictor of cardiovascular events. We sought to determine the prognostic value of LAVI for predicting the outcome of patients who underwent dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) for known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2000 to July 2005, we studied 981 patients who underwent DSE and off-line measurements of LAVI. The value of DSE over clinical and LAVI data was examined using a stepwise log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a median follow-up of 24 months, 56 (6%) events occurred. By univariate analysis, predictors of events were male sex, diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial diameter indexed, LAVI, and abnormal DSE. By multivariate analysis, independent predictors were LVEF (relative risk [RR] = 0.98, 95% CI 0.95-1.00), LAVI (RR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.05), and abnormal DSE (RR = 2.70, 95% CI 1.28-5.69). In an incremental multivariate model, LAVI was additional to clinical data for predicting events (chi(2) 36.8, P < .001). The addition of DSE to clinical and LAVI yielded incremental information (chi(2) 55.3, P < .001). The 3-year event-free survival in patients with normal DSE and LAVI < or =33 mL/m(2) was 96%; with abnormal DSE and LAVI < or =33 mL/m(2), 91%; with normal DSE and LAVI >34 mL/m(2), 83%; and with abnormal DSE and LAVI >34 mL/m(2), 51%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left atrial volume indexed provides independent prognostic information in patients who underwent DSE for known or suspected CAD. Among patients with normal DSE, those with larger LAVI had worse outcome, and among patients with abnormal DSE, LAVI was still predictive.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute (InCor)-University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. jeanetsutsui@msn.com
authors.forename: Jeane Mike
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: Paulo M M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Dourado
authors.forename: Abdou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elhendy
authors.forename: Sandra N R S
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.forename: Renise M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Goes
authors.forename: Antônio C P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chagas
authors.forename: Protásio L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: da Luz
authors.forename: José A F
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ramires
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mathias
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D002306:Cardiac Volume / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors