Use of Atrial Strain to Predict Atrial Fibrillation After Cerebral Ischemia.

Objectives: This study sought to identify whether atrial strain could be used as an imaging biomarker to predict atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: AF is found in up to 30% of cryptogenic cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), which themselves account for 30% to 40% of ischemic CVA.

Methods: This observational study evaluated all patients who had an echocardiogram (transthoracic echocardiogram [TTE]) following presentation with cryptogenic CVA from 2010 to 2014.