Difference in left atrial appendage remodeling between diabetic and nondiabetic patients with atrial fibrillation

• Published in: Clinical cardiology (Mahwah, N.J.) Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 71 - 77
• Main Authors: Yosefy, Chaim, Pery, Marina, Nevzorov, Roman, Piltz, Xavier, Osherov, Azriel, Jafari, Jamal, Beeri, Ronen, Gallego‐Colon, Enrique, Daum, Aner, Khalameizer, Vladimir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Aged; Atrial Appendage - diagnostic imaging; Atrial Appendage - physiopathology; Atrial Appendage - surgery; atrial fibrillation; Atrial Fibrillation - physiopathology; Atrial Fibrillation - surgery; Atrial Remodeling - physiology; Clinical Investigations; diabetes mellitus; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies - diagnostic imaging; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies - physiopathology; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Electric Countershock; Female; Hemodynamics; Humans; left atrial appendage; left atrium; Male; Middle Aged; Prosthesis Implantation; real‐time 3‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; stroke; real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography; atrial fibrillation; diabetes mellitus; left atrial appendage; left atrium; stroke
• ISSN: 0160-9289; 1932-8737; 1932-8737
• DOI: 10.1002/clc.23292

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common and increasingly prevalent condition in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). The left atrium appendage (LAA), a small outpouch from the LA, is the most common location for thrombus formation in patients with AFib. Hypothesis In this study, we examined LAA remodeling differences between diabetic and nondiabetic patients with AFib. Methods This retrospective study analyzed data from 242 subjects subdivided into two subgroups of 122 with DM (diabetic group) and 120 without DM (nondiabetic group). The study group underwent real‐time 3‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3DTEE) for AFib ablation, cardioversion, or LAA device closure. The LAA dimensions were measured using the “Yosefy rotational 3DTEE method.” Results The RT3DTEE analysis revealed that diabetic patients display larger LAA diameters, D1‐lengh (2.09 ± 0.50 vs 1.88 ± 0.54 cm, P = .003), D2‐width (1.70 ± 0.48 vs 1.55 ± 0.55 cm, P = .024), D3‐depth (2.21 ± 0.75 vs 1.99 ± 0.65 cm, P = .017), larger orifice areas (2.8 ± 1.35 and 2.3 ± 1.49 cm2, P = .004), and diminished orifice flow velocity (37.3 ± 17.6 and 43.7 ± 19.5 cm/sec, P = .008). Conclusions Adverse LAA remodeling in DM patients with AFib is characterized by significantly LAA orifice enlargement and reduced orifice flow velocity. Analysis of LAA geometry and hemodynamics may have clinical implications in thrombotic risk assessment and treatment of DM patients with AFib.