Physiological Left Atrial Staging and the Risk of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

The authors aimed to characterize the hemodynamic and functional states of the left atrium (LA) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and develop a novel LA staging system to predict the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF). Their findings indicate that this staging system is significantly associated with an increased risk of NOAF and provides additional predictive value beyond existing risk models. This framework enhances understanding of LA adaptation to diastolic dysfunction in HCM and may inform AF surveillance strategies.