Abstract 13077: Impact of Age on the Morphology of Left Atrial Appendage in Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) is the main location of thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), which has a variety of structure. Recent studies reported that “non-chicken wing” LAA morphology had a significantly higher risk of stroke compared with “chicken wing” morphology. However, LAA morphology might be affected by aging or AF. Thus, we evaluated the relationship between age and frequency of LAA morphology in patients with AF and sinus rhythm (SR). Methods: We enrolled 145 AF patients and 199 SR patients without any cardiovascular disease. LAA volume and morphology were assessed by contrast-enhanced multi-detector computed tomography. The morphology was visually classified “chicken wing” or “non-chicken wing” according to the previous report. Results: LAA volume index was significantly higher in the AF group than in the SR group (6.8±2.8 ml/m 2 vs. 4.4±1.8 ml/m 2 , p<0.001).There was no significant trend in frequency of non-chicken wing among ages in SR group (p=0.36 for trend), whereas it was negatively related to age in AF group (p=0.002 for trend). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age (OR 0.95, p=0.021) and duration of AF (OR 0.97, p=0.002) were independent factors of non-chicken wing LAA morphology. Conclusions: LAA morphology is affected by age, especially in patients with AF. When we utilize LAA morphology (non-chicken wing type) as a stroke risk factor in patients with AF, we may have to pay attention to their age.