Second look Holter ECG in neurorehabilitation

Abstract

Abstract Background Many stroke survivors suffer recurrent stroke because paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) was missed and no preventive anticoagulation initiated. This prospective cohort study determined the added diagnostic yield of second-look 24-h electrocardiographic recording (ECG) in a population at high risk for AF: patients who suffered a stroke of such severity that they require inpatient neurorehabilitation. Methods We enrolled 508 patients with ischemic stroke admitted to post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation and determined whether AF was detected during acute care at the referring hospital. Second-look baseline and 24-h Holter ECG were then conducted during neurorehabilitation. Primary outcome was number of newly detected AF with duration of > 30 s; secondary outcomes were number of newly detected absolute arrhythmia of 10–30 s and 30 s in 20 of these patients, i.e. 6.6% of the sample, and shorter absolute arrhythmia in 50 patients (i.e. 16.5%). Conclusions Second-look 24-Hour ECG performed during post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation has a high diagnostic yield and should become a standard component of recurrent stroke prevention.

Keywords

• Atrial fibrillation
• Stroke
• Neurorehabilitation
• Holter ECG