Are atrial salvos on a 24 hours ECG monitoring a marker of stroke?
Location
Auditorium Pond Side
Start Date
26-2-2014 10:30 AM
Abstract
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of thromboembolic strokes. Atrial ectopy is a trigger of AF both symptomatic and asymptomatic. Holter monitoring (HM) of 24 ECG post strokes does not always reveal AF as it may be episodic. Episodic AF has the same thromboembolic risk as chronic persistent AF.
Aim: To see if the frequency of atrial salvos was more in patients after a stroke versus controls.
Methods: A retrospective study at the Aga Khan University hospital. All patients referred for HM for stroke work-up between October 2009 and December 2012. Controls were all patients in the same period referred for syncope work-up without a history of palpitations. Established AF patients were excluded.
Results: Total patients 123 and 99 controls. Of the stroke patients, 70 were males (57%) and 53 females (43%). Mean age males 58.8 years (range 31 – 80); females 63.5 years (range 35 – 81). Atrial salvos in stoke group: males 17.1%, females 46% (total 31.5%). For the control group 56 males (56.5%) and 43 females (42.5%), mean age males 57.6 years (range 14 – 83), females 52.3 (range 7 – 92). Atrial salvos in controls: males 10.7%, females 9.3% (total 10%).
Conclusion: Atrial salvos were significantly more in the stroke group than the control group and this difference in the stoke group was more stark in the female gender, although the stroke group females were older.
Are atrial salvos on a 24 hours ECG monitoring a marker of stroke?
Auditorium Pond Side
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of thromboembolic strokes. Atrial ectopy is a trigger of AF both symptomatic and asymptomatic. Holter monitoring (HM) of 24 ECG post strokes does not always reveal AF as it may be episodic. Episodic AF has the same thromboembolic risk as chronic persistent AF.
Aim: To see if the frequency of atrial salvos was more in patients after a stroke versus controls.
Methods: A retrospective study at the Aga Khan University hospital. All patients referred for HM for stroke work-up between October 2009 and December 2012. Controls were all patients in the same period referred for syncope work-up without a history of palpitations. Established AF patients were excluded.
Results: Total patients 123 and 99 controls. Of the stroke patients, 70 were males (57%) and 53 females (43%). Mean age males 58.8 years (range 31 – 80); females 63.5 years (range 35 – 81). Atrial salvos in stoke group: males 17.1%, females 46% (total 31.5%). For the control group 56 males (56.5%) and 43 females (42.5%), mean age males 57.6 years (range 14 – 83), females 52.3 (range 7 – 92). Atrial salvos in controls: males 10.7%, females 9.3% (total 10%).
Conclusion: Atrial salvos were significantly more in the stroke group than the control group and this difference in the stoke group was more stark in the female gender, although the stroke group females were older.