title: Left atrium function in patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The left atrial cavity has recently been identified as a potential biomarker for cardiac and cerebrovascular accidents. This review examines the potential of left atrial size and function in predicting cardiovascular disease in the general population and outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The atrium is perfused primarily by branches of the proximal left circumflex coronary artery (LCx), and depression of the cavity mechanical performance has been demonstrated in experimental studies during LCx occlusion. Thus, left atrial volume and function assessment may have prognostic relevance, particularly in CAD patients. Such a line of thinking, however, is challenged by the widespread notion that the contribution by left atrial chamber morphology and functional quantitation to the risk stratification process after a first cardiovascular event is not adequately considered. However, a number of studies have shown that left atrial volume predicts survival and major adverse events after an acute myocardial infarction. Left atrial remodeling also provides an important overall prognostic information and correlates with brain natriuretic peptide after primary percutaneous coronary interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evaluation of left atrial size and function is currently of great interest and it will be more so in the very near future, given its potential for insights into the pathophysiology of the ischemic heart, which makes it an important clinical risk identifier in CAD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Cardiology, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria 'Maggiore della Carità', Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Degiovanni
authors.forename: Paolo N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D015415:Biomarkers; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D013599:Systole
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain