Atrial fibrillation following device closure of patent foramen ovale.

Objectives: Recurrent embolic events after device closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) have been related to incomplete closure. Another cause could be atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of AF in stroke patients after PFO closure.

Frequent atrial premature beats predict paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in stroke patients: an opportunity for a new diagnostic strategy.

Background And Purpose: For patients having suffered ischemic stroke, the current diagnostic strategies often fail to detect atrial fibrillation as a potential cause of embolic events. The aim of the study was to identify paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in stroke patients. We hypothesized that patients with frequent atrial premature beats (APBs) recorded in 24-hour ECG will show more often atrial fibrillation when followed by repeated long-term ECG recordings than patients without or infrequent APBs.

Incremental prognostic value of troponin I and echocardiography in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: To test the hypothesis that troponin I and echocardiography have an incremental prognostic value in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods And Results: In 91 patients with acute PE, echocardiography was performed within 4h of admission. Troponin I levels were obtained on admission and 12h thereafter.