Abstract WMP62: Duration of Implantable Cardiac Monitoring and Detection of Atrial Fibrillation in Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Although current guidelines indicate that the clinical benefit of prolonged cardiac monitoring for atrial fibrillation (AF) detection in ischemic stroke (IS) patients remains uncertain, clinical trials suggest that implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) substantially increase AF detection due to prolonged monitoring duration. Methods: In the present systematic review and meta-analysis we sought to investigate the association of ICM duration with the yield of AF detection in IS patients. We also assessed whether IS subtype, individual patient characteristics and elapsed time between IS onset and CM implantation may also impact the probability of AF detection. We included studies reporting AF detection rates by ICM in IS patients with negative initial AF screening. We excluded studies reporting prolonged cardiac monitoring with devices other than ICM, not providing AF detection rates or monitoring duration and reporting overlapping data for the same population. Random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled estimates in all subgroup and univariate meta-regression analyses. Results: We included 28 studies (4531 patients; mean age:65 years; 52% men). In meta-regression analyses the proportion of AF detection by ICM was independently associated with monitoring duration (coefficient=0.015,95%CI:0.005-0.024) and mean patient age (coefficient=0.009, 95%CI:0.003-0.015). No association was detected with other patient characteristics, including IS subtype (cryptogenic vs. embolic stroke of undetermined source) or time from IS onset to CM implantation. In subgroup analyses significant differences (p<0.001) in the AF detection rates were documented according to ICM duration (<6 months: 4%, 95%CI: 3%-6%; ≥6 months & ≤12 months: 20%, 95%CI: 17%-24%; >12 months & ≤24 months: 26%, 95%CI: 23%-30%; >24 months: 34%, 95%CI: 30%-39%). Conclusion: Extended duration of ICM monitoring appears to be the only factor that increases substantially the yield of AF detection in patients with IS and initial negative AF screening. IS subtype and individual patients characteristics, except age, are not related to the probability of AF detection.