The evaluation of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with non-hemorrhagic stroke and atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common tachyarrhythmia and an important risk factor for thromboembolic stroke. CHA۲DS۲-VASc score was introduced for assessment of embolic events and as criteria for starting anticoagulants. This study was performed to evaluate the left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with non-hemorrhagic stroke and AF. METHODS: This cross-sectional study consisted of ۷۶ consecutive patients with suspected non-hemorrhagic stroke referred to the Cardiology Department of Alzahra and Ayatollah Kashani hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, during ۲۰۱۵-۲۰۱۶. Demographic, anthropometric and clinical characteristics were evaluated for all patients at baseline. CHA۲DS۲-VASc score was calculated for all. All eligible patients underwent transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) and LVDD was measured in the patients. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was ۶۴.۶۴ ± ۵.۹۵ years and ۲۸ subjects (۳۶.۸%) were women. The most common underlying disease in the patients was hypertension (HTN) (۶۵.۸%). Median (range) CHA۲DS۲-VASc score was ۴ (۱-۷). Four patients (۵.۳%) had paroxysmal AF and ۱۶ cases (۲۱.۱%) had LVDD. Analysis showed that LVDD in patients with non-hemorrhagic stroke and coexisting AF was not associated with CHA۲DS۲-VASc score (r = ۰.۱۵۱, P = ۰.۱۹۲). CONCLUSION: LVDD is not associated with CHA۲DS۲-VASc score in patients with non-hemorrhagic stroke and coexisting AF. 

Keywords:

Left Ventricular Dysfunction , Stroke , Atrial Fibrillation