93

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is routinely screened for in suspected cardioembolic cerebral infarctions. This study aims to determine the frequency and characteristics of AF in patients with a cerebral infarction of cardioembolic origin. It is a descriptive, transversal, retrospective study of patients diagnosed with a territorial cerebral infarction due to atrial fibrillation. This study was conducted at the department of neurology at the Joseph Raseta Befelatanana University Hospital, Antananarivo, over 24 months from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019, and included 156 patients. The absolute frequency of AF was 21.79% (34 patients). Its relative frequency was higher in females, in patients aged over 65 years, and in hypertensive patients. The relative frequency of AF detected via electrocardiography (ECG) was 15.38%, compared to 18 % detected via 24-hour Holter monitoring. The mean age for patients with AF was 68.82 years, with a sex ratio of 1/112. AF was paroxysmal in 29.41% of cases and persistent in 70.58% of cases. The most commonly observed electrocardiographic sign was left ventricular hypertrophy (23.52%). The majority of cerebral infarctions are located in the carotid region (55.88%). The most common abnormality found on the Doppler echocardiography was changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (35.29 %). At the conclusion of this study, it is necessary to extend ECG recording to increase AF detection in Madagascar, in order to improve secondary prevention of cardioembolic stroke by establishing appropriate etiological treatments.