TY - THES ID - 134859138 TI - A AU - Van Herck, Laurens AU - Lemmens, Robin AU - Demeestere, Jelle AU - KU Leuven. Faculteit Geneeskunde. Opleiding Master in de geneeskunde (Leuven) PY - 2021 PB - Leuven KU Leuven. Faculteit Geneeskunde DB - UniCat UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:134859138 AB - Background Cryptogenic strokes (CS) account for 30% of all ischemic strokes. Cardiac embolism in the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF) may be a potential cause of CS since many of these strokes show embolic patterns on imaging. Recently, atrial cardiopathy has been repeatedly associated with ischemic stroke and could thus possibly underlie such cardiac embolisms. Therefore we aimed to summarize data on the association between electrocardiographic (ECG) or imaging markers of atrial cardiopathy and stroke independent of AF. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science databases for longitudinal studies describing absolute or relative measures on the association between ECG or imaging markers of atrial cardiopathy and stroke independent of AF. Results We identified 20 cohort and 18 case-control studies. Higher P-wave terminal force in V1 (PTFV1) values were repeatedly associated with ischemic stroke after adjustment for AF and other risk factors. Third degree interatrial block (IAB) and abnormal p-wave axis (aPWA) were both independent risk factors for stroke in analyses of one large, qualitative cohort study. The association between excessive atrial ectopy (EAE) and stroke disappeared after adjustment for AF. Left atrial enlargement (LAE) measured by diameter was incongruently associated with stroke in either women, men, both sexes or none at all. Other imaging markers such as left atrial fibrosis and atrial dysfunction were also independently associated with stroke in a limited number of studies. Conclusion ECG and imaging markers of atrial cardiopathy are associated with stroke independent of AF. This association was most pronounced for PTFV1 and to a lesser extent also evident for third-degree IAB, aPWA, LAE, left atrial fibrosis and reduced left atrial emptying fraction, but was not present for EAE. ER -