Left Atrial Remodeling and Stroke in Patients With Sinus Rhythm and Normal Ejection Fraction: ARIC‐NCS

Background Age‐related left atrial (LA) structural and functional abnormalities may be related to subclinical cerebral infarcts (SCIs) and stroke. We evaluated the association of 3‐dimensional echocardiographic LA contractility parameters with SCIs and stroke across the spectrum of tertiles of age increment in elderly patients with sinus rhythm, normal ejection fraction, and no history of atrial fibrillation. Methods and Results We enrolled 407 participants (mean age, 76±8 years; 40% men) from ARIC‐NCS (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study) undergoing a brain magnetic resonance imaging and 3‐dimensional echocardiographic examinations in 2011 to 2013. The sample was analyzed among age tertiles and subgroups: no cerebral magnetic resonance imaging–detectable infarcts (n=315), magnetic resonance imaging–diagnosed SCIs (n=58), and clinically diagnosed stroke (n=34). The frequency of SCIs significantly increased over age tertiles ( P trend 0.023). LA global longitudinal strain—a 3‐dimensional echocardiographic index of LA reservoir function—and E/e’ divided by LA global longitudinal strain—an index of LA stiffness—worsened across age tertiles ( P trend 0.014 and 0.001, respectively), and only in the categories of SCIs ( P trend <0.001 and 0.045, respectively) and stroke ( P trend 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). LA global longitudinal strain was negatively associated with increased odds of SCIs ( P =0.036, P =0.008, and P =0.001, respectively) and strokes ( P =0.043, P =0.015, and P =0.001, respectively) over age tertiles, with a significant interaction between age tertiles (interaction P =0.043 and P =0.010, respectively). E/e’ divided by LA global longitudinal strain was positively associated with the presence of SCIs ( P =0.037, P =0.007, and P =0.001, respectively) and strokes ( P =0.045, P =0.007, and P =0.003, respectively) over age tertiles, with a significant interaction only for SCIs (interaction P =0.040) and not for clinical stroke. Conclusions In a large cohort study of elderly patients, among participants with sinus rhythm, normal ejection fraction, and no history of atrial fibrillation, measures of worse age‐related LA reservoir function and stiffness are associated with higher odds of SCIs and stroke.