Echocardiography in Lone Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Consecutive patients (27) with suspected lone atrial fibrillation were studied by M-mode echocardiography. Echocardiography disclosed structural or functional cardiac abnormalities in only 2 (12%) of 17 patients without any sign of underlying heart disease by history or physical examination, whereas an accompanying or underlying cardiac disorder was found in 6 (60%) of 10 patients with ambiguous clinical findings. Apparently, echocardiography is of minor value in patients with lone atrial fibrillation if symptoms and signs of other cardiac disorders are totally absent, but the presence of even minor or ambiguous clinical abnormalities seems to be a clear indication for echocardiography in these patients. It is emphasized that echocardiography appears to guide the clinical management in 20% of patients with clinically suspected lone atrial fibrillation.