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Objectives: Recent clinical trials have shown the potential of sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitors to reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation but not stroke. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify if SGLT2 or combined SGLT1/2 inhibitors affect the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke in patients regardless of diabetic status., Materials and Methods: Four electronic databases were searched on 21st November 2020 for studies evaluating outcomes of stroke and atrial fibrillation with SGLT2 or combined SGLT1/2 inhibitors in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Both random and fixed effect, pair-wise meta-analysis models were used to summarize the results of the studies., Results: A total of 13 placebo-controlled, randomized-controlled trials were included. Eight trials comprising 35,702 patients were included in the analysis of atrial fibrillation outcomes and eight trials comprising 47,910 patients were included in the analysis of stroke outcomes. Patients on SGLT inhibitors, particularly SGLT2 inhibitors, had lower odds of atrial fibrillation (Peto odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 0.76 [0.63-0.92]) compared to placebo. This effect remained significant with a follow-up duration longer than 1 year, in studies utilizing dapagliflozin, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and patients with cardiovascular disease. No difference was observed in the odds of atrial fibrillation in patients with baseline heart failure. No effect was seen on the risk of stroke in patients taking SGLT inhibitors., Conclusions: SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduced the odds of atrial fibrillation in diabetic patients. However, SGLT inhibitors did not significantly affect the risk of stroke., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None, (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Calcium deposits in the heart have been associated with cardiovascular events, mortality, stroke, and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there is no accepted standard method for scoring cardiac calcifications. Existing methods have also not been validated for the assessment of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of various cardiac calcification scores with new-onset AF and stroke recurrence in a cohort of patients with ESUS., Methods: In this study, 181 consecutive patients with stroke diagnosed with ESUS were identified and evaluated. They were followed for new-onset AF and ischemic stroke recurrence for a median duration of 2.1 years. Various echocardiographic cardiac calcification scores were assessed on transthoracic echocardiography performed during the evaluation of ESUS and subsequently assessed for their relation to AF detection and recurrent stroke. The echocardiographic calcium scores assessed were the (1) global cardiac calcium score (GCCS), (2) echocardiographic calcium score (eCS), (3) echocardiographic calcification score, (4) echocardiographic composite cardiac calcium score, and (5) total heart calcification score. Only two of these scoring schemes, GCCS and eCS, quantified the cardiac calcium burden., Results: Higher calcium scores as measured by GCCS and eCS were found to be significantly associated with subsequent AF detection as well as recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with ESUS. The association with recurrent stroke remained significant even after adjustment for comorbidities and AF., Conclusions: Higher cardiac calcification measured using the GCCS and eCS is independently associated with AF detection and recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with ESUS, and these scores can be useful markers for further risk stratification in patients with ESUS., (Copyright © 2021 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) results in the loss of atrial booster pump function and portends poorer outcome in aortic valve stenosis (AS). However, its characteristics and impact on medically managed AS remained under-recognised. We compared these patients with AF to sinus rhythm (SR)., Method: In total, 347 consecutive patients with medically managed severe AS (aortic valve area <1 cm 2 ) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (>50%) were studied, in terms of echocardiographic characteristics and clinical outcomes. Appropriate univariate and multivariate models were used, while Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were constructed to compare clinical outcomes (mortality, admissions for congestive cardiac failure, and stroke)., Results: Ninety (90) (25.9%) patients had AF. Patients with AF had lower body mass index (BMI 18.5±10.4 vs 23.8±6.2 g/m 2 ; p<0.001), larger left ventricular mass index (LVMI 127.9±39.0 vs 116.7±36.5; p=0.017), and left atrial volume index (53.2±20.0 vs 31.0±9.2 mL/m 2 ; p=0.004). Atrial fibrillation was associated with higher mortality (52.2% vs 37.4%; Kaplan-Meier log-rank 7.18; p=0.007), admissions for congestive cardiac failure (log-rank 6.42; p=0.011), and poorer composite outcomes (log-rank 6.29; p=0.012). The incidence of stroke in both groups were similar on follow-up (log-rank 0.08; p=0.776). After adjusting for age, BMI, LVMI, and left atrial volume index on Cox regression, AF remained independently associated with poorer composite clinical outcomes (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval 1.07-2.58)., Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation remained an important comorbidity affecting a quarter of patients with medically managed severe AS. It was independently associated with poorer clinical outcomes and may thus aid in prognostication and management., (Copyright © 2020 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Left ventricular (LV) thrombus is a complication of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) that leads to a higher risk of stroke. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is another independent risk factor for stroke, however there is a dearth of studies examining the outcomes of patients with concomitant AF and LV thrombus. Hypothesis: This study aims to investigate the impact of the presence of concomitant AF in post-STEMI patients with an LV thrombus on stroke and mortality outcomes. Methods: We screened 6007 transthoracic echocardiogram reports containing the "thrombus" keyword from July 2006 to September 2017. Relevant clinical data was collected from 196 post-STEMI patients positive for an LV thrombus, stratified into non-AF and AF groups. Results: AF patients (69.6 ± 11.8 years) were significantly older (p < 0.01) than non-AF patients (55.5 ± 12.2 years) and more were found to have chronic kidney disease (p = 0.02), hypertension (p = 0.04) and dyslipidaemia (p = 0.03), with significantly higher baseline HAS-BLED score (p < 0.01) and CHA2DS2-VASc score (p < 0.01). Fewer AF patients were treated with triple therapy (p = 0.04). Despite this, there was no difference observed in resolution of the LV thrombus on repeat imaging (p = 0.30). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher incidence of stroke (p = 0.02) and all-cause mortality (p < 0.01) in AF patients. Conclusion: Post-STEMI patients with LV thrombus formation and AF have significant differences from non-AF patients and are associated with poorer outcomes. These findings should be validated in larger cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]