Rehan Ahmad, Zahid Aslam Awan.
Atrial clots and their correlation with various denominators: A study of 26 cases.
Pak J Med Sci Jan ;21(2):210-2.

Objective: To study the correlation of various denominators in 26 cases with atrial thrombus in left atrial cavity. Design: A prospective observational study conducted between May 1999 and December 2003 at department of medicine, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, Pakistan. Patient & Method: Twenty six cases (16 female 10 male) with mean age of 44 ± 6.1 years with clot in left atrial cavity were studied. They were examined for the etiology of left atrial thrombi, atrial fibrillation and spontaneous contrast. Other measurements included determination of mitral valve area, left atrial size, mitral valve peak pressure gradient, right ventricular systolic pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction. Results: Eighteen patients were in atrial fibrillation and five had spontaneous contrast on echocardiography. All had mitral stenosis with mean mitral valve area of 1.12cm ± .48 cm. Mean peak mitral valve pressure gradient was 15 ± 2 mmHg. Left atrial size 53 ± 6 mm and mean RVSP was 55mmHg ± 2.44. Mean LV EF was 48.5 ± .44 %. Conclusion: Severe mitral stenosis is the major underlying disease for the thrombus formation in left atrial cavity. Atrial fibrillation, left atrial dilatation and pulmonary hypertension are its frequent accompaniments.

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