title: Comparison of endocardial activation times at effective and ineffective ablation sites within the pulmonary veins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies demonstrated that atrial arrhythmias may be generated within pulmonary veins. The purpose of this study was to compare the endocardial activation times at effective and ineffective ablation sites during radiofrequency catheter ablation of arrhythmias initiated or generated within pulmonary veins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one of 28 patients without structural heart disease underwent successful ablation of 23 arrhythmogenic foci within a pulmonary vein. Electrograms were recorded at 75 pulmonary venous sites and categorized into three groups: 23 successful ablation sites; 28 unsuccessful target sites within an arrhythmogenic pulmonary vein; and 24 sites within nonarrhythmogenic pulmonary veins. The endocardial activation time of premature depolarizations arising at successful target sites was significantly earlier than at other sites. During premature depolarizations, an endocardial activation time of -75 msec or earlier had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 79% for identification of a successful ablation site. Endocardial activation times earlier than -100 msec were recorded only at successful ablation sites, and endocardial activation times later than -30 msec were recorded only at sites within nonarrhythmogenic pulmonary veins. The presence of a split potential during sinus rhythm or premature depolarizations was not a specific indicator of a successful ablation site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endocardial activation times of premature depolarizations that arise within pulmonary veins and initiate atrial tachycardia/fibrillation are useful in identifying successful ablation sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Michaud
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moscucci
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strickberger
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morady
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D004699:Endocardium / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011930:Reaction Time; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery