Transthoracic echocardiography during sinus rhythm identifies elderly patients with nonvalvular paroxysmal atrial fibrillation at high risk of cerebral infarction.

We performed transthoracic echocardiography during sinus rhythm in elderly nonvalvular paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (NV-PAF) patients (> or =65 years) with cerebral infarction and in patients without cerebral infarction. This study suggests that elderly NV-PAF patients at high risk for cerebral infarction seem to have a pseudonormalization pattern of transmitral inflow, and decreased atrial reversal flow of pulmonary venous flow, and increased left atrial volume.