Investigating the Association of Congenital and Non-congenital Cardiovascular Diseases with Atrial Septal Aneurysm using Echocardiography

Background: Nowadays, cardiovascular disease has become one of the most serious health-related problems in the world. Abnormalities of the inter-atrial septum, including atrial septal aneurysm, atrial septal defect, and patent foramen ovale, are common congenital diseases among adults. Non-congenital heart diseases, including ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, and aortic valve stenosis, are also of significant importance in adults. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of congenital and non-congenital heart diseases with atrial septal aneurysm using the transthoracic echocardiography method. Methods: 250 patients in two groups with and without atrial septal aneurysm were examined using transthoracic echocardiography. Abnormalities of the inter-atrial septum as well as congenital and the history of non-congenital cardiovascular diseases were determined and analyzed at the 95% confidence level. Results: In the group of patients with and without atrial septal aneurysm, 20% (95%CI: 10.8%-32.6%) and 6% (95%CI: 3.3%-9.9%) respectively had congenital heart diseases (P=0.004), and 28% (95%CI: 17.0%-41.4%) and 17.5% (95%CI: 12.7%-23.2%) respectively had non-congenital heart diseases (P=0.094). Based on the final logistic regression model, the odds ratios for the history of cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, congenital, and non-congenital heart diseases were 32.2 (P=0.002), 6.3 (P=0.031), 5.5 (P=0.001), and 2.4 (P=0.029) respectively, considered as the most important predictors associated with atrial septal aneurysm. Conclusion: In addition to a history of cerebrovascular accident and transient ischemic attack, atrial septal aneurysm is significantly associated with congenital and non-congenital heart diseases.