Left Ventricular Mass Predicts Left Atrial Thrombus in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Left ventricular mass predicts left atrial appendage thrombus in persistent atrial fibrillation.

AIMS Atrial fibrillation (AF) can result in the development of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombi. We sought to examine demographic and echocardiographic predictors of LAA thrombus in patients with persistent AF. METHODS AND RESULTS One hundred and sixty-five patients in persistent AF (36 with LAA thrombus and 129 without thrombus) were studied. Demographic and cardiovascular risk factors we...

Complex left atrial appendage morphology and left atrial appendage thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), most thrombus forms in the left atrial appendage (LAA). However, the relation of LAA morphology with LAA thrombus is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively enrolled 633 consecutive patients who were candidates for catheter ablation for symptomatic drug-resistant AF. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed to assess LAA ...

Left atrial strain predicts recurrence of atrial arrhythmias after catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION Success rates of catheter ablation (CA) of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) are very variable. Identifying patients in whom sinus rhythm maintenance cannot be achieved after CA is a critical issue. METHODS 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed before the first CA procedure in consecutive patients with persistent AF. Left atrial (LA) strain was correlated with recu...

Left atrial mass. Thrombus mimicking myxoma.

A 31-year-old woman underwent elective transthoracic echocardiography for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which showed a large left atrial mass. A two-dimensional echocardiogram showed a large left atrium mass. Subsequent transesophageal echocardiography showed a 3 cm x 3 cm circular mass with smooth contours. The differential diagnosis included myxoma versus thrombus, but because of morphology...

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in atrial fibrillation