ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the relationship between serum albumin(SA)levels and left atrial thrombosis(LAT)in elderly patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation(NVAF), and to evaluate the clinical value of SA in predicting LAT in elderly NVAF patients.Methods:Clinical data of 180 elderly patients with NVAF undergone transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.According to whether there was thrombosis in the left atrium, patients were divided into the thrombus group(n=42)and the non-thrombus group(n=138). Logistic regression was used to analyze factors related to left atrial appendage thrombosis in NVAF patients.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the value of serum albumin levels in predicting LAT formation in elderly NVAF patients.Results:The duration of AF was longer in the thrombus group than in the non-thrombus group(all P<0.05). C-reactive protein(CRP)levels and platelet(PLT)counts were higher, and SA levels and the international normalization ratio(INR)were lower in the thrombus group than in the non-thrombus group(all P<0.05). The left atrial diameter(LAD)was larger in the thrombus group than in the non-thrombus group( P<0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of AF and CRP levels were independent risk factors for LAT( P<0.05), and SA levels and INR were independent protective factors for LAT( P<0.05). ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of SA in predicting LAT was 0.778(95% CI: 0.711-0.837, P<0.001). Conclusions:Low serum albumin levels are closely related to LAT in NVAF patients and can be regarded as a predictor of LAT.Serum albumin levels should be monitored in clinical practice to reduce the incidence of stroke events in patients with AF.