Brain structure and stroke risk score in subjects without a history of atrial fibrillation

Mateusz Wykretowicz; Łukasz Gąsiorowski; Anna Kłusek-Zielińska; Katarzyna Katulska

doi:10.1080/14017431.2022.2074094

Brain structure and stroke risk score in subjects without a history of atrial fibrillation

Scand Cardiovasc J. 2022 Dec;56(1):100-102. doi: 10.1080/14017431.2022.2074094.

Authors

Mateusz Wykretowicz¹, Łukasz Gąsiorowski¹, Anna Kłusek-Zielińska¹, Katarzyna Katulska¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Radiology, University School of Medicine, Poznan, Poland.

PMID: 35549584
DOI: 10.1080/14017431.2022.2074094

Abstract

CHA₂DS₂-VASc score system aids in clinical decision-making in subjects with atrial fibrillation (AF). Little is known on the association between CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores and brain structure in patients without cardiac arrhythmia. Detailed brain architecture analysis was performed. Assessment of bivariate correlation between the volume of segmented brain structures and Z-scores of CHA₂DS₂-VASc showed that higher risk scores correlated negatively and significantly with various brain framework. Our study confirms that a cluster of risk factors incorporated in a well-established risk score correlated with brain tissue volume independently of the presence of an arrhythmia.

Keywords: Risk score; atrial fibrillation; brain segmentation; brain structure.

MeSH terms

Atrial Fibrillation* / complications
Atrial Fibrillation* / diagnosis
Brain
Humans
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Stroke* / diagnosis
Stroke* / epidemiology
Stroke* / etiology