Left atrial diameter in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: An echocardiographic study

Background The left atrium (LA) is usually enlarged in patients with nonvalvulor atrial fibrillation (AF), but factors associated with LA diameter ore incompletely defined. Methods and Results This transthoracic echocardiographic cohort study includes 3465 participant. with nonvalvular AF In 3 multicenter clinical trials. LA diameter determined by M-mode echocardiography was correlated with clinical and echocardiographic features by cross-sectional multivariate regression analyses. The mean LA diameter was 47 +/- 8 mm, on average 6 mm larger in those with AF at the time of echocardiography than in those with sinus rhythm (48 vs 42 mm, P <.001). Patient age and body weight were independently predictive of LA diameter (P <.0007), but sex, body surface area, and body mass index were not. The estimated independent contribution of atrial rhythm to LA diameter was approximately 2.5 mm. Prolonged duration pf AF, left ventricular dilatation find increased muscle mass; mitral regurgitation, annular calcification, and hypertension were additional independent predictors of LA diameter. Conclusions Multiple factors appear to contribute to LA enlargement in patients with nonvalvular AF, including the presence and persistence of the dysrhythmia.