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News
A novel left atrium (LA) staging system may help doctors identify which patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are most likely to develop atrial fibrillation (AF). Across four stages, each step up in stage was linked to an 83% higher AF risk — and stage 4 patients faced more than seven times the risk of stage 1 patients. The system also improved the accuracy of existing risk prediction models.
Researchers have developed a novel left atrium (LA) staging system that could help clinicians better predict which patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are headed toward new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). The four-stage system classifies patients based on LA pressure and contractile function — and the higher the stage, the higher the risk.
The study followed over 700 HCM patients for a median of 7.5 years, with external validation in an additional 425 patients. About 14% of patients developed new-onset AF during follow-up, and the staging system consistently outperformed existing models at predicting who would.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For HCPs managing HCM patients, this tool offers a more nuanced, data-backed way to stratify AF risk — potentially allowing low-risk (stage 1) patients to skip intensive monitoring while focusing resources on those at higher risk.
