Investigating the relationship between the shape of the left atrial appendage and the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation

Introduction: Appendage is the growth of the left atrium, which is different in terms of shape and size. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between the shape of the left atrium appendage and atrial fibrillation incidence.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, using the census method, ۲۵ patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and a candidate for cardioversion were examined for the shape of the left atrial fibrillation in Farshchian Heart Hospital in Hamedan from ۲۰۲۱ to ۲۰۲۲. Three-dimensional echocardiography with an esophageal probe was used to detect LAA morphology. Data, after recording in the checklist, were analyzed with SPSS software (version ۲۶).Results: Patients had a mean age of ۵۶.۶۴±۱۲.۳۱ years. Males accounted for ۳۲% of the patients and females for ۶۸%. The frequency of chicken-wing, cactus, cauliflower, and windsock in the left atrium was ۵۲%, ۴۰%, ۴%, and ۴%, respectively. The mean and standard deviation of blood flow velocity in chicken-wing, cactus, cauliflower, and windsock forms were ۱۴.۹۲±۳.۹۰, ۴۰.۷۰±۹.۶۲, ۲۳.۰۰, and ۳۲.۰۰ cm/s, respectively (P˂۰.۰۰۱).  Shape of the left atrial appendage had no significant difference with the type of atrial fibrillation regarding age, gender, diabetes, and blood pressure (P<۰.۰۵ for all).Conclusion: In patients with atrial fibrillation, the frequency of left atrial appendage morphology is different. Chicken-wing and cactus forms were the most common forms of left atrial appendage in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The shape of the left atrium was significantly related to the flow rate, which seems to help predict thrombosis and atrial fibrillation.

Keywords:

echocardiography , Chicken-wing LAA , cactus LLA