Assessment of thromboembolic risk is crucial\nfor proper management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.\nCurrently used risk score base only on scarce clinical data\nand do not take into consideration parameters including\nechocardiographic findings. The aim of this study was to\nevaluate if left atrium (LA) enlargement is associated with\nhigher thromboembolic risk assessed by CHADS2 and\nCHA2DS2-VASc scores in a cohort of unselected nonvalvular\nAF patients. Data from 582 AF hospitalizations\noccurring between November 2012 and January 2014 were\nanalyzed. All patients underwent a standard transthoracic\nechocardiography and had their thromboembolic risk\nassessed in both CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores.\nIn 494 enrolled patients (48.5 % male; mean age\n73.4 �± 11.5 years) AF was classified as paroxysmal in 233\n(47.3 %), as persistent in 109 (22.1 %), and as permanent\nin 151 (30.6 %) patients. LA was enlarged in 426 (86.2 %)\npatients. Enlargement was classified as mild in 99 (20.0 %)\npatients, as moderate in 130 (26.3 %) patients, and as\nsevere in 196 (39.7 %) patients. Patients with enlarged LA\nhad higher mean CHADS2 score (2.0 �± 1.5 vs. 2.6 �± 1.3;\np = 0.0005) and CHA2DS2-VASc (3.8 �± 2.0 vs.\n4.4 �± 1.8; p = 0.02) score than patients with normal LA.\nThe both mean scores rose along with rising LA diameter.\nLA enlargement is highly prevalent in AF patients. Higher\nthromboembolic risk assessed by both CHADS2 and\nCHA2DS2-VASc scores is associated with presence of LA\nenlargement. Echocardiographically assessed LA size may\nbe an additional parameter useful in thromboembolic risk\nstratification of AF patients.
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