Aim. The aims of the study were to evaluate prevalence of silent cerebral infarctions (SCI) and determine their clinical and echocardiographic predictors in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
Patients and methods. In prospective cross sectional study we examined 134 patients with non-valvular AF. Clinical examination, laboratory tests, transoesophageal, transthoracic echocardiography and multislice computed tomography of the brain were performed for all patients. According to current guidelines, SCI was defined as imaging (≥3 mm) or neuropathological evidence of central nervous system infarction, without a history of acute neurological dysfunction attributable to the lesion.
Results. Silent cerebral infarctions were detected in 34.3% (n = 46) of patients, and infarctions ≥ 15 mm (mean diameter 31.3 mm) were detected in 11.2% (n = 15) of patients. Superficial SCIwere found in 12.7%and basal SCI in 21.6% of cases. In multivariate analysis low creatinine clearance < 90 ml/min was independently associated with small basal SCI (p = 0.04). In univariate analysis age ≥ 65 years was significantly associated with basal SCI, p = 0.004, but not with SCI ≥ 15 mm or superficial SCI. The results of multivariate analysis showed that CHA2DS2VASc score was an independent predictor of superficial SCI; low left atrial appendage velocity (LAAV) < 30 cm/s was independently associated both with SCI ≥ 15 mm (p = 0.03) and superficial SCI (p = 0.02).
Conclusions. Large and superficial SCI were significantly and independently associated with low LAAV < 30 cm/s and other echocardiographic embolic risk factors and in case of absence of significant large arteries atherosclerosis may be considered as those of cardiac origin. Small basal SCI were associated with age and low creatinine clearance < 90 ml/min which was their independent predictor. CHA2DS2VASc score is useful for assessment of risk of cerebral infarctions even those without history of acute symptoms
