How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?

Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant stroke risk factor. Further research is needed to clarify whether higher atrial fibrillation burden (AFB) link to the elevated risk of ischemic embolism, and how AF burden could combine with CHA2DS2-VASc score to improve the anticoagulation strat...

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Main Authors: Xiuping Zhuo, Meinv Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:Cardiology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/7619669
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author Xiuping Zhuo
Meinv Huang
author_facet Xiuping Zhuo
Meinv Huang
author_sort Xiuping Zhuo
collection DOAJ
description Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant stroke risk factor. Further research is needed to clarify whether higher atrial fibrillation burden (AFB) link to the elevated risk of ischemic embolism, and how AF burden could combine with CHA2DS2-VASc score to improve the anticoagulation strategy. We aim to evaluate if the AF burden characterized using 24-hours Holter ECG monitoring is associated with the risk of ischemic stroke. Methods. This cohort study enrolled 210 Holter ECG monitoring detected atrial fibrillation patients. The burden of atrial fibrillation was defined as the percentage of time in atrial fibrillation during the monitoring period, and the AF burden and CHA2DS2-VASc score were compared between patients with and without thromboembolic outcomes. Multivariate regressions were conducted to estimate the predictors of thromboembolic outcomes. Results. Eighteen thromboembolic events occurred within a median follow-up of 11.39 months. Patients with ischemic stroke had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores but not higher AF burden. After adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes, anticoagulation, antithrombotic therapy, AF burden, and AF with higher CHA2DS2-VASc score was associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke (hazard ratio (HR), 15.17). CHA2DS2-VASc score > 4.5 was a predictor of significantly higher risk of future stroke (AUC 0.92). Conclusions. In Holter ECG monitoring detected AF, AF burden does not significantly impact the subsequent risk of stroke; whereas, CHA2DS2-VASc scoring is still a robust predictor of stroke risk. This may illustrate that once AF is detected from Holter ECG monitoring, underlying risk factors appear to be more predictive of subsequent stroke risk than atrial fibrillation burden.
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spelling doaj-art-aaf4356c59b44902a8e8ab7dd0db88e22025-08-20T03:39:37ZengWileyCardiology Research and Practice2090-05972022-01-01202210.1155/2022/7619669How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?Xiuping Zhuo0Meinv Huang1Affiliated Hospital of Putian UniversityAffiliated Hospital of Putian UniversityBackground. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant stroke risk factor. Further research is needed to clarify whether higher atrial fibrillation burden (AFB) link to the elevated risk of ischemic embolism, and how AF burden could combine with CHA2DS2-VASc score to improve the anticoagulation strategy. We aim to evaluate if the AF burden characterized using 24-hours Holter ECG monitoring is associated with the risk of ischemic stroke. Methods. This cohort study enrolled 210 Holter ECG monitoring detected atrial fibrillation patients. The burden of atrial fibrillation was defined as the percentage of time in atrial fibrillation during the monitoring period, and the AF burden and CHA2DS2-VASc score were compared between patients with and without thromboembolic outcomes. Multivariate regressions were conducted to estimate the predictors of thromboembolic outcomes. Results. Eighteen thromboembolic events occurred within a median follow-up of 11.39 months. Patients with ischemic stroke had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores but not higher AF burden. After adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes, anticoagulation, antithrombotic therapy, AF burden, and AF with higher CHA2DS2-VASc score was associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke (hazard ratio (HR), 15.17). CHA2DS2-VASc score > 4.5 was a predictor of significantly higher risk of future stroke (AUC 0.92). Conclusions. In Holter ECG monitoring detected AF, AF burden does not significantly impact the subsequent risk of stroke; whereas, CHA2DS2-VASc scoring is still a robust predictor of stroke risk. This may illustrate that once AF is detected from Holter ECG monitoring, underlying risk factors appear to be more predictive of subsequent stroke risk than atrial fibrillation burden.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/7619669
spellingShingle Xiuping Zhuo
Meinv Huang
How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
Cardiology Research and Practice
title How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
title_full How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
title_fullStr How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
title_full_unstemmed How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
title_short How is Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Predictive of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?
title_sort how is ambulatory electrocardiogram predictive of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/7619669
work_keys_str_mv AT xiupingzhuo howisambulatoryelectrocardiogrampredictiveofstrokeinatrialfibrillationpatients
AT meinvhuang howisambulatoryelectrocardiogrampredictiveofstrokeinatrialfibrillationpatients