Relationship of left atrial appendage function to left ventricular function.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship of left atrial appendage function to left ventricular function and to analyze, if left ventricular dysfunction predisposed to left atrial appendage thrombus formation even in the presence of sinus rhythm. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was conducted in 78 patients with a mean age of 53+/-8.5 years, all of whom were in sinus rhythm. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed to record the left atrial appendage emptying and filling velocity and to look for the presence of spontaneous echo contrast and thrombus. Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (Group I--left ventricular ejection fraction < 35%) and patients with moderate left ventricular dysfunction (Group II--left ventricular ejection fraction 35-45%) had lower left atrial appendage emptying velocity (33.6+/-16 and 39.7+/-19.5 cm/s, respectively) and filling velocity (41+/-14.7 and 41+/-17 cm/s, respectively) when compared to patients with preserved systolic function (Group II--left ventricular ejection fraction >45%), who had emptying and filling velocity of 55+/-16 and 56+/-15 cm/s, respectively (p <0.05). Twelve out of 32 (38%) patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (Group I) and 7 out of 25 (28%) patients with moderate left ventricular dysfunction (Group II) had presence of left atrial appendage thrombus as compared to none of the patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (Group III) (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with left ventricular dysfunction also had left atrial appendage dysfunction as evidenced by lower emptying and filling velocities and had increased incidence of thrombus formation.