ABC | Volume 111, Nº3, September 2018

Brief Communication Oliveira et al Silent cerebral infarctions in heart failure Arq Bras Cardiol. 2018; 111(3):419-422 Table 1 – Comparison of clinical and echocardiographic parameters between the groups of patients with heart failure with and without silent cerebral infarction Parameters Population n = 75 Silent cerebral infarctions p value* Yes (n = 11) No (n = 64) Age, years) 61.8 ± 10.6 62.5 ± 9.1 61.7 ± 10.9 0.817 Male gender 42 (56) 9 (81.8) 33 (51.6) 0.062 Arterial hypertension 60 (80) 8 (72.7) 52 (81.3) 0.514 Diabetes Mellitus 20 (26.7) 6 (54.5) 14 (21.9) 0.024 Ischemic heart disease 47 (62.7) 9 (81.8) 38 (59.4) 0.155 Permanent AF 13 (17.3) 3 (27.3) 10 (15.6) 0.346 NYHA class = I 20 (26.7) 2 (18.2) 18 (28.1) 0.491 II 41 (54.7) 7 (63.6) 34 (53.1) 0.518 III 14 (18.7) 2 (18.2) 12 (18.8) 0.964 HF etiology Idiopathic 33 (44) 3 (27.3) 30 (46.9) 0.226 Chagasic 27 (36) 5 (45.5) 22 (34.4) 0.479 Ischemic 10 (13.3) 2 (18.2) 8 (12.5) 0.609 Hypertensive 3 (4) 1 (9.1) 2 (3.1) 0.351 Valvar 1 (1.3) - 1(6.9) 0.676 Rheumatic 1 (1.3) - 1 (1.6) 0.676 LVEF subgroups Reduced (≤ 40%) 31 (41.3) 9 (81.8) 22 (34.4) 0.003 Mid-range (41-49%) 13 (17.3) 2 (18.2) 11 (17.2) 0.936 Preserved (≥ 50%) 31 (41.3) 0 (0) 31 (48.4) Echocardiographic data LA diameter, mm 43.9 ± 8.9 46.2 ± 10.6 42.9 ± 8.5 0.264 LV dilatation 31 (41.3) 8 (72.7) 23 (35.9) 0.022 Intracavitary thrombi/ spontaneous echo contrast Intracavitary thrombi / spontaneous echogenic contrast in LA 9 (12.1) 1 (9.1) 8 (12.5) 0.552 Intracavitary thrombi / spontaneous echo contrast in LAA 2 (2.6) 1 (9.1) 1 (1.6) 0.351 Medications Aspirin 41 (54.7) 6 (54.5) 35 (54.7) 0.993 Warfarin 13 (17.3) 1 (9.1) 12 (18.8) 0.434 NOAC 6 (8) 2 (18.2) 4 (6.3) 0.178 Results expressed as mean ± standard deviation or n (%). *Student’s t test for categorical variables and Pearson’s chi-square for continuous variables. AF: arterial fibrillation; NYHA: New York Heart Association; HF: heart failure; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; LA: left atrium; LV: left ventricle; LAA: left atrial appendage; NOAC: new oral anticoagulants. Limitations The study was carried out in a single center, with a small sample and there were no analyses of intra- and interobserver variability between the echocardiographists. Author contributions Conception and design of the research: Oliveira MMC, Hatem MAB, Câmara EJN, Fernandes AMS, Oliveira-Filho J, Aras R; Acquisition of data: Oliveira MMC, Sampaio ES, Kawaoka JR, Hatem MAB, Câmara EJN; Analysis and interpretation of the data and Writing of the manuscript: Oliveira MMC, Sampaio ES, Kawaoka JR, Hatem MAB, Câmara EJN, Fernandes AMS, Oliveira-Filho J, Aras R; Statistical analysis: Oliveira MMC, Sampaio ES, Oliveira- Filho J; Critical revision of the manuscript for intellectual content: Oliveira MMC, Sampaio ES, Kawaoka JR, Hatem MAB, Câmara EJN, Fernandes AMS, Oliveira-Filho J, Aras R. 421