الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in the general population; its prevalence increases with age and generally is associated with increased mortality. Patients with atrial fibrillation have a substantial risk of stroke, which is modified by the presence or absence of several risk factors. Since 2006, stronger evidence has accumulated that there are additional risk factors should be considered in assessing thromboembolic risk and would be of value in identifying those patients at truly low risk. The additional risk factors have been expressed in the CHA2DS2-VASc score, which has been proposed to complement the CHADS2 score. During the past several years, strain and strain rate imaging have emerged as a quantitative technique to accurately estimate myocardial function and contractility. Left atraial strain analysis is a new tool that can be used to evaluate left atraial function. Left atrial function is an important parameter in normal persons and AF patients. However, it is difficult to evaluate LA function non – invasively. Recently, Tissue Doppler imaging has been applied for the assessment of cardiac function, including atrial function. Atrial deformation evaluated by tissue Doppler derived strain or strain rate imaging can be used for assessment of LA wall directly. The newly developed speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is useful in the assessment of left atrial strain. This non-Doppler 2D strain imaging avoids the effects of Doppler angle and tethering. This study aimed to assess left atrial function by conventional echocardiography and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and compared them with control group and to explore the relationship between LA strain using STE and CHA2DS2 - VASc score in patient with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. 30 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were enrolled in our study with another age and sex matched control group (20 patients). Patients in our study were subjected to full history with special emphasis on age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, stroke or TIA, previous myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular diseases, clinical examination and 12 leads surface ECG. 2D echocardiography, M-mode and Doppler examination were performed; LA , AO and LV dimensions were measured including LVED, LVES, IVSd, LVPWd, and left ventricular ejection fraction, Pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography was performed for measuring mitral and tricuspid inflow velocity. Strain and strain rate values measured by non Doppler 2D based speckle tracking.