title: How structurally normal are human atria in patients with atrial fibrillation?
abstract: Atrial myocardium in humans shows structural changes that increase with aging. The most conspicuous are fibro-fatty replacement and patchy replacement fibrosis. The present study reveals that these structural changes are more extensive in hearts of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) than in "no AF" hearts. The changes involve the myocardial sleeves on pulmonary veins and sites of rapid conduction, such as the terminal crest and Bachmann's bundle. These structural changes should be taken into consideration as potential substrates for initiation and maintenance of atrial arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. aebecker@prettel.nl
authors.forename: Anton E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000473:pathology