Lacalzada-Almeida J, et al. - In this observational prospective and unicentric cohort study with 98 outpatients, researchers assessed the link between left atrial (LA) speckle tracking echocardiographic (STE) and the prediction of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or stroke in interatrial block (IAB) patients. The participants included 55 (56.2%) controls with normal ECG without IAB, 21 (21.4%) with partial IAB (pIAB) and 22 (22.4%) with advanced interatrial block (aIAB). They assessed new-onset AF, ischemic stroke and the composite of both as the end point. The end point was seen in 20 patients (18 new-onset AF and two strokes) during a mean follow-up of 1.9 (1.7–2.3) years, with 8 (14.5%) in the control group, 3 (14.3%) in pIAB and 9 (40.9%) in aIAB. Overall, new-onset AF and ischemic stroke in patients with IAB were predicted by a decrease in absolute value of LA strain rate during the booster pump function phase (SRa) with STE.