title: Excessive Premature Atrial Complexes and the Risk of Recurrent Stroke or Death in an Ischemic Stroke Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to investigate the association of premature atrial complexes and the risk of recurrent stroke or death in patients with ischemic stroke in sinus rhythm.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective cohort study, we used 24-hour Holter recordings to evaluate premature atrial complexes in patients consecutively admitted with ischemic strokes. Excessive premature atrial complexes were defined as >14 premature atrial complexes per hour and 3 or more runs of premature atrial complexes per 24 hours. During follow-up, 48-hour Holter recordings were performed after 6 and 12 months. Among patients in sinus rhythm, the association of excessive premature atrial complexes and the primary end point of recurrent stroke or death were estimated in both crude and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. We further evaluated excessive premature atrial complexes contra atrial fibrillation in relation to the primary end point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 256 patients included, 89 had atrial fibrillation. Of the patients in sinus rhythm (n = 167), 31 had excessive premature atrial complexes. During a median follow-up of 32 months, 50 patients (30% of patients in sinus rhythm) had recurrent strokes (n = 20) or died (n = 30). In both crude and adjusted models, excessive premature atrial complexes were associated with the primary end point, but not with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. Compared with patients in atrial fibrillation, those with excessive premature atrial complexes had similarly high risks of the primary end point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with ischemic stroke and sinus rhythm, excessive premature atrial complexes were associated with a higher risk of recurrent stroke or death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, OUH Svendborg Hospital, Svendborg, Denmark. Electronic address: kristinahoeg@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristina H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Vinther
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, OUH Svendborg Hospital, Svendborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tveskov
authors.affiliation: OPEN-Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Soren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Auscher
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osmanagic
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, OUH Svendborg Hospital, Svendborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Egstrup
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D018880:Atrial Premature Complexes / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D013686:Telemetry; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; ischemic stroke; premature atrial complexes; prognosis