Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
1992-10-8
pubmed:abstractText
Systemic arterial embolization imparts a significant risk of serious complications throughout the lives of patients with rheumatic heart disease. Left atrial (LA) thrombi have been thought to be the major source of emboli. A transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) study of 260 consecutive patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease was performed during a period of 24 months, with particular reference to understanding the association between LA thrombi and embolic complications. Of these patients, 155 had predominant mitral stenosis, 24 had significant mitral regurgitation, and the remaining 81 with xenograft mitral valve replacement developed valvular dysfunction (25 resulted in predominant mitral stenosis and 56 in significant mitral regurgitation). LA thrombi were detected in 38 patients (group A) and absent in 222 (group B). Group A patients had a higher frequency of recent (less than or equal to 1 week before TEE study) and remote (greater than 1 week before) embolization than did group B patients (recent: 26.3 vs 5.4% [p less than 0.001]; remote: 18.4 vs 5.0% [p less than 0.01]). The frequency of atrial fibrillation was also greater in group A patients (100 vs 74.3%; p less than 0.001). The exclusion of patients with significant mitral regurgitation and sinus rhythm had no effect on the association between LA thrombi and evidence of previous embolization. It is concluded that TEE is a convenient diagnostic modality that can be used to identify a subset of patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease at high risk for systemic embolization. Consequently, preventive anticoagulation for possible embolic complications should be more vigorously adhered to in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and LA thrombi.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0002-9149
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
70
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
769-73
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1992
pubmed:articleTitle
Reappraisal by transesophageal echocardiography of the significance of left atrial thrombi in the prediction of systemic arterial embolization in rheumatic mitral valve disease.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Republic of China.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article