LAUSR

BACKGROUND The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) following stroke has been studied with implantable loop recorders. However, these devices do not record short lasting AF episodes ( 3000 atrial ectopic beats/d or >2 “micro AF” episodes (fibrillatory burst 14 s. RESULTS 130 p. were included in the study (age 73 ± 12, 57% males, 19% previous stroke, 7% ischemic cardiopathy, CHA2DSVA2Sc pre-stroke 3.1 ± 1.7). 3 were withdrawn from the study due to inadequate use (recording time 30 s was detected in a total of 27 (21.4%) p, average AF duration was 52 hours (range 30 s-22 d). AF >30s was detected in 2 (17%) p with repeated monitoring. All these patients were placed on anticoagulation. Sustained paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) was documented in 4 (4.4%) p without AF. All episodes of AF and SVT were asymptomatic. Mobitz I second degree AV block in 4 (3.2%) p. 3 (2.4%) p had a pacemaker implanted: 2 for severe sinus dysfunction and 1 for AV block. High-density ventricular ectopy (>3000/d) was present in 7 (6%) p and ≥1 episode of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was detected in 26 (21%) p. A parafibrillatory status was identified in 27 (21%) p with no AF >30 s. At 1-year follow up 4/22 (18%) of patients with parafibrillatory status and 3/59 (5%) without parafibrillatory status suffered a new stroke (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: AF and other potentially relevant arrhythmias are frequent after stroke and easily detectable with one-month non-invasive continuous ECG monitoring. Patients with a parafibrillatory status could benefit from longer monitoring time to detect AF.