Atrial Structure and Function versus Cardiovascular Outcomes

Left atrial (LA) structure and function associations with prevalent and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), independent of left ventricular (LV) metrics, have been evaluated in 25 896 UK Biobank participants. In particular: the associations of five cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) metrics (1: LA maximum volume – LAV; 2: LA ejection fraction -LAEF; 3: LV mass : LV end-diastolic volume ratio -LVM : LVEDV; 4 global longitudinal strain – GLS; and 5: LV global function index -LVGFI) with vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking), prevalent and incident CVDs (atrial fibrillation, AF, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, IHD, myocardial infarction, MI), all-cause mortality, and CVD mortality, were simultaneously entered into multivariable regression models adjusted for sex, age, ethnicity, deprivation, education, body size, and physical activity.

LA structure and function measures (LAEF and LAV) demonstrate significant associations with key prevalent and incident cardiovascular outcomes, independent of LV metrics. These measures have potential clinical utility for disease discrimination and outcome prediction.

To read more: https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeab266