We included 1098 patients with paroxysmal AF (male 74.5%, 57.6 ± 11.3 years old) who underwent AF catheter ablation. We compared E/Em to clinical parameters, echocardiography, and three-dimensional-computed tomography findings.
The E/Em > 15 group (n = 98) was older (p < 0.001) and had more females (p < 0.001), greater LA volume index (p < 0.001), higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (p < 0.001), and stroke/TIA prevalence (p = 0.001) than groups with an E/Em of 8–15 (n = 676) or <8 (n = 324). An E/Em was independently associated with the presence of stroke/TIA (OR 1.638, 95% CI 1.050–2.554, p = 0.030) after adjusting for age, sex, body surface area, LA volume index, and LA appendage volume index.
In patients with paroxysmal AF, the elevated LV filling pressure estimated by E/Em is independently associated with the presence of stroke or TIA.