Orientation of the Atrial Septum to the Inferior Vena Cava May Contribute to the Persistent Patency of the Foramen Ovale.

PURPOSE: There is growing evidence that paradoxical embolism through patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a cause for cryptogenic stroke. However, it is still unclear why the foramen ovale fails to close after birth. We studied whether the 3D relations between the atrial septum (AS) and the inferior vena cava (IVC) are associated with PFO. METHODS: We recruited 30 patients (18-49 years) with a first-ever cryptogenic stroke and 30 age- and sex-matched stroke-free controls. Using cardiac magnetic resonance, an approach to evaluate the 3D relations between the AS and the IVC was developed. The presence of interatrial right-to-left shunt was evaluated with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients and transcranial Doppler in controls. RESULTS: Of 30 patients, 29 underwent successful TEE, of which 12 (41%) had a shunt. Patients with a shunt had a greater mean 3D angle (γ) between the atrial septal plane and the vector from the orifice of the IVC to the middle of the AS compared with patients without a shunt (45 ± 9° vs. 36 ± 8°, p = 0.017). Of 30 controls, 12 (40%) had a shunt and a greater mean γ compared with controls without a shunt (47 ± 8° vs. 37 ± 10°, p = 0.007). In a pooled analysis, 24 (41%) of 59 subjects with a shunt had a mean γ of 46 ± 9° compared with subjects without a shunt of 37 ± 9° (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: More perpendicular orientation of the atrial septal plane to the orifice of the IVC is associated with PFO, possibly by directing the IVC flow to PFO.

Revisiting left atrial volumetry by magnetic resonance imaging: the role of atrial shape and 3D angle between left ventricular and left atrial axis.

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of left atrial (LA) volumes is needed in cardiac diagnostics and the follow up of heart and valvular diseases. Geometrical assumptions with 2D methods for LA volume estimation contribute to volume misestimation. In this study, we test agreement of 3D and 2D methods of LA volume detection and explore contribution of 3D LA axis orientation and LA shape in introducing error in 2D methods by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: 30 patients with prior first-ever ischemic stroke and no known heart disease, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled (age 18-49) in a substudy of a prospective case-control study. All study subjects underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and were pooled for this methodological study. LA volumes were calculated by biplane area-length method from both conventional long axis (LAVAL-LV) and LA long axis-oriented images (LAVAL-LA) and were compared to 3D segmented LA volume (LAVSAX) to assess accuracy of volume detection. 3D orientation of LA long axis to left ventricular (LV) long axis and to four-chamber plane were determined, and LA 3D sphericity indices were calculated to assess sources of error in LA volume calculation. Shapiro-Wilk test, Bland-Altman analysis, intraclass and Pearson correlation, and Spearman's rho were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Biases were - 9.9 mL (- 12.5 to - 7.2) for LAVAL-LV and 13.4 (10.0-16.9) for LAVAL-LA [mean difference to LAVSAX (95% confidence interval)]. End-diastolic LA long axis 3D deviation angle to LV long axis was 28.3 ± 6.2° [mean ± SD] and LA long axis 3D rotation angle to four-chamber plane 20.5 ± 18.0°. 3D orientation of LA axis or 3D sphericity were not correlated to error in LA volume calculation. CONCLUSIONS: Calculated LA volume accuracy did not improve by using LA long axis-oriented images for volume calculation in comparison to conventional method. We present novel data on LA axis orientation and a novel metric of LA sphericity and conclude that these measures cannot be utilized to assess error in LA volume calculation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Main study Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers, and Outcome (SECRETO; NCT01934725) has been registered previously.

Right atrium and cryptogenic ischaemic stroke in the young: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest left atrial (LA) dysfunction in cryptogenic stroke. We studied the dynamics of right atrium (RA) and right atrial appendage (RAA) in young adults with cryptogenic stroke. We hypothesised that bi-atrial dysfunction and blood stagnation might contribute to thrombosis formation in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO), as deep venous thrombosis is detected only in the minority of patients. METHODS: Thirty patients (aged 18-49) with a first-ever cryptogenic stroke and 30 age-matched and sex-matched stroke-free controls underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. An approach to estimate the RAA volume was developed, using crista terminalis and pectinate muscles as anatomical landmarks. Atrial expansion indices were calculated as (maximal volume - minimal volume) ×100%/minimal volume. Total pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs) was based on phase contrast CMR. Right-to-left shunt (RLS) was evaluated with transoesophageal echocardiography in 29 patients and transcranial Doppler in 30 controls, moderate-to-severe RLS considered as clinically significant. RESULTS: We found that RA and RAA volumes were similar between patients and controls. Also, RA expansion index was similar, but RAA (95.6%±21.6% vs 108.7%±25.8%, p=0.026) and LA (126.2%±28% vs 144.9%±36.3%, p=0.023) expansion indices were lower in patients compared with controls. Seven (24%) of 29 patients had an RLS compared with 1 (3%) of 30 controls (p=0.012). Among 59 study subjects, RLS was associated with lower RA (81.9%±15.9% vs 98.5%±29.5%, p=0.030), RAA (84.7%±18% vs 105.6%±24.1%, p=0.022), LA (109.8%±18.6% vs 140.1%±33.7%, p=0.017) and LAA (median 102.9% (IQR 65.6%-121.7%) vs 229.1% (151.8%-337.5%], p=0.002) expansion indices and lower Qp/Qs ratio (0.91±0.06 vs 0.98±0.07, p=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests bi-atrial dysfunction in young adults with cryptogenic stroke, associated with moderate-to-severe RLS. Dysfunction of the atria and atrial appendages may be an additional mechanism for PFO-related stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01934725.

Left ventricular non-compaction as a potential source for cryptogenic ischemic stroke in the young: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Up to 50% of ischemic strokes in the young after thorough diagnostic work-up remain cryptogenic or associated with low-risk sources of cardioembolism such as patent foramen ovale (PFO). We studied with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, whether left ventricular (LV) non-compaction-a possible source for embolic stroke due to sluggish blood flow in deep intertrabecular recesses-is associated with cryptogenic strokes in the young. METHODS: Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers, and Outcome (SECRETO; NCT01934725) is an international prospective multicenter case-control study of young adults (aged 18-49 years) presenting with an imaging-positive first-ever ischemic stroke of undetermined etiology. In this pilot substudy, 30 cases and 30 age- and sex-matched stroke-free controls were examined with CMR. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) bubble test was performed to evaluate the presence and magnitude of right-to-left shunt (RLS). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in LV volumes, masses or systolic function between cases and controls; none of the participants had non-compaction cardiomyopathy. Semi-automated assessment of LV non-compaction was highly reproducible. Non-compacted LV mass (median 14.0 [interquartile range 12.6-16.0] g/m2 vs. 12.7 [10.4-16.6] g/m2, p = 0.045), the ratio of non-compacted to compacted LV mass (mean 25.6 ± 4.2% vs. 22.8 ± 6.0%, p = 0.015) and the percentage of non-compacted LV volume (mean 17.6 ± 2.9% vs. 15.7 ± 3.8%, p = 0.004) were higher in cases compared to controls. In a multivariate conditional logistic regression model including non-compacted LV volume, RLS and body mass index, the percentage of non-compacted LV volume (odds ratio [OR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-2.18, p = 0.011) and the presence of RLS (OR 11.94, 95% CI 1.14-124.94, p = 0.038) were independently associated with cryptogenic ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: LV non-compaction is associated with a heightened risk of cryptogenic ischemic stroke in young adults, independent of concomitant RLS and in the absence of cardiomyopathy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: SECRETO; NCT01934725. Registered 4th September 2013. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01934725.

Hip fractures and femoral bone mineral density in male former elite athletes.

INTRODUCTION: We studied whether vigorous physical activity in young adulthood is associated with higher femoral bone density and lower risk of hip fracture at older age in men. MATERIALS: A cohort of former male elite athletes (n=2147) and matched control subjects (n=1467) were studied for their leisure physical activity, and for fragility fractures at the hip (proximal femur) by Cox regression. Areal bone mineral densities (aBMD) at femoral neck and trochanter region were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in a subgroup of the former athletes (n=87; median age 59 years) and in a population-based control group (n=194) and compared by general linear models. RESULTS: After their active sporting careers, the former athletes participated in leisure physical activity more than the matched control subjects (p<0.0001). The hazard ratio (HR) of osteoporotic hip fracture adjusted for the occupational group was 0.77 (95% CI 0.45 to 1.32, p=0.34) in the athletes compared with the control subjects. The mean age at the time of the fracture event was 76.9 years (95% CI 73.2 to 78.8) for the athletes and 70.6 years (95% CI 67.1 to 72.9) for the matched control subjects (p=0.005). Adjusted for age and body mass index, aBMD at the proximal femur was significantly higher in the former athletes compared with the population-based control group (p<0.0001 for both measurement sites). CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporotic hip fractures were sustained at a significantly older age among former athletes compared with control subjects. Clear skeletal benefits of long-term physical loading were also observed in comparative DXA measurements of aBMD.

Lumbar mobility in former élite male weight-lifters, soccer players, long-distance runners and shooters.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term effects of different loading conditions in sports and work on lumbar mobility. DESIGN: Factors associated with lumbar mobility were sought by examining sports experience, occupational history, back pain history, anthropometric characteristics, and lumbar magnetic resonance images in 114 former Finnish male élite athletes: 30 soccer players, 29 weight-lifters, 27 long-distance runners, and 28 shooters, aged 45-68 yr. BACKGROUND: Back pain and aging reduce spinal mobility, whereas some sports may increase it. Little is known about the effects of common loading conditions found in work and sports, that do not require extremes of spinal motion on lumbar mobility later in life. METHODS: Sports and occupational histories were obtained from a standardized interview. Lumbar mobility was measured by the flexicurve method. Disc degeneration was evaluated from lumbar magnetic resonance images. The results were analysed with analysis of variance and covariance and multiple regression models. RESULTS: The athlete groups did not differ significantly in lumbar sagittal mobility. Higher body-mass index was associated with less flexion, reduced disc height with less extension, as was a high lifetime number of low back pain episodes. Occupations characterized by varying work postures and light lifting were associated with greater mobility, and heavy work with lesser mobility. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in sports with clearly different loading patterns, that do not emphasize extremes of spinal range of motion, do not appear to lead to significant differences in back mobility in later adulthood, but occupational loading factors and disc height narrowing appear to influence spinal mobility.