title: Association of left atrial fibrosis detected by delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging and the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study tried to determine the association between left atrial (LA) fibrosis, detected using delayed-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI), and the CHADS(2) score (point system based on individual clinical risk factors including congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes, and prior stroke) variables, specifically stroke.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), conventional markers for the risk of stroke base their higher predictive effect on clinical features, particularly previous stroke history, and not individual LA pathophysiological properties. We aimed to determine the association between LA fibrosis, detected using DE-MRI, and the CHADS(2) score variables, specifically stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with AF who presented to the AF clinic and received a DE-MRI of the LA were evaluated. Their risk factor profiles, including a CHADS(2) score, were catalogued. The degree of LA fibrosis was determined as a percentage of the LA area. Any history of previous strokes, warfarin use, or cerebrovascular disease was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 387 patients, having a mean age of 65 ± 12 years, 36.8% female, were included in this study. A history of previous stroke was present in 36 (9.3%) patients. Those patients with previous strokes had a significantly higher percentage of LA fibrosis (24.4 ± 12.4% vs. 16.2 ± 9.9%, p < 0.01). A larger amount of LA fibrosis was also seen in those patients with a higher CHADS(2) score (≥ 2: 18.7 ± 11.4 vs. <2: 14.7 ± 9.2, p < 0.01). A logistic regression analysis of all variables except strokes (CHAD score) demonstrated that LA fibrosis independently predicted cerebrovascular events (p = 0.002) and significantly increased the predictive performance of the score (area under the curve = 0.77).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary, multicenter results suggest DE-MRI-based detection of LA fibrosis is independently associated with prior history of strokes. We propose that the amount of DE-MRI-determined LA fibrosis could represent a marker for stroke and a possible therapeutic target with potential applicability for clinical treatment for patients with AF.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Arrhythmia and Research Management Center, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132-2400, USA.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daccarett
authors.forename: Troy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Badger
authors.forename: Nazem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akoum
authors.forename: Nathan S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Burgon
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mahnkopf
authors.forename: Gaston
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kholmovski
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McGann
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brachmann
authors.forename: Rob S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.forename: Nassir F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Marrouche
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology