Left atrial volume, congestive heart failure, and obesity are associated with extent of left atrial fibrosis by late gadolinium enhancement

Background The cardiovascular MRI late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequence has developed as a tool to evaluate fibrosis in the atrial walls. LA remodelling and fibrosis is theorized to precede the onset of and to increase with the persistence of AF. Pathological studies have demonstrated that other cardiac diseases are associated with LA fibrosis regardless of the presence of AF. Identifying conditions associated with LA LGE in the general population could be important for risk stratification of atrial fibrosis and AF development in patients with such comorbidities. This study aims to identify common clinical conditions associated with greater LA LGE.