The CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores predict adverse vascular function, ischemic stroke and cardiovascular death in high-risk patients without atrial fibrillation: Role of incorporating PR prolongation

To investigate whether the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores have clinical utility for prediction of adverse vascular function and vascular dysfunction-mediated incident cardiovascular (CV) events among high-risk patients without atrial fibrillation (AF), and the additional value of incorporating PR prolongation to the scores. We analyzed 579 high-risk CV outpatients without clinical AF in a prospective cohort for new-onset ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and CV death. Brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation (NMD), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were determined. Baseline CHADS2 score was associated with lower FMD (Pearson r = −0.16, P