Background: The left atrial end-systolic volume index (LAESVI) is a predictor of cardiovascular outcomes and is the recommended measurement of left atrial size. The left atrial end-diastolic volume index (LAEDVI), representing the minimum or residual left atrial volume, has not been fully evaluated as a predictor of cardiovascular events. This study evaluated the predictive power of LAEDVI compared with LAESVI for heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, a composite of HF hospitalizations, myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart disease death, and all-cause mortality.
Methods: We measured LAESVI and LAEDVI in subjects without atrial fibrillation or flutter or significant mitral valve disease. Using Cox proportional-hazard models, the association of LAESVI and LAEDVI with the stated outcomes was examined.
Results: After a mean of 7.3±2.6 years of follow-up, there were 147 HF hospitalizations, 118 myocardial infarctions, 45 strokes, 96 heart disease deaths, and 351 deaths from all causes in 938 subjects. When comparing the highest and the lowest quartiles of LAEDVI, there was a near 6-fold increase in the hazard ratio (HR) for HF hospitalization (HR, 5.96; P<0.001). This was higher than what was seen with LAESVI (HR, 4.85; P<0.001). Similar associations were noted for the composite cardiovascular outcome (HR for LAEDVI, 2.97; P<0.001) and for all-cause mortality (HR for LAEDVI, 2.08; P<0.001). In adjusted models, LAEDVI demonstrated equal or better predictive power than LAESVI for HF hospitalization and the composite cardiovascular outcome.
Conclusions: LAEDVI is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events in ambulatory patients with stable coronary heart disease and may merit routine use.
Keywords: cardiovascular diseases; echocardiography; heart failure; left atrium; myocardial infarction.