Large vessel occlusion is independently associated with atrial fibrillation detection

Background and purpose Covert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF) is the most frequent cause of cardiac embolism. Our goal was to discover parameters associated with early pAF detection with intensive cardiac monitoring. Method Crypto‐AF was a multicentre prospective study (four Comprehensive Stroke Centres) to detect pAF in non‐lacunar cryptogenic stroke continuously monitored within the first 28 days. Stroke severity, infarct pattern, large vessel occlusion (LVO) at baseline, electrocardiography analysis, supraventricular extrasystolia in the Holter examination, left atrial volume index and brain natriuretic peptide level were assessed. The percentage of pAF detection and pAF episodes lasting more than 5 h were registered. Results Out of 296 patients, 264 patients completed the monitoring period with 23.1% (61/264) of pAF detection. Patients with pAF were older [odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.08], they had more haemorrhagic infarction (OR 4.03, 95% CI 1.44–11.22), they were more likely to have LVO (OR 4.29, 95% CI 2.31–7.97) (P