Effects of ventricular rate and regularity on the velocity and magnitude of left atrial appendage flow in atrial fibrillation.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively determine whether ventricular rate and regularity are significant determinants of the velocity and magnitude of left atrial appendage (LAA) flow.


METHODS
12 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), high degree atrioventricular block, and indwelling permanent pacemakers were studied.


METHODS
Cardiology department of a tertiary referral centre.


METHODS
Pacing was triggered by an external programmable transcutaneous device. Patients were paced at 60, 120, and 150 beats/min in both regular and irregular rhythm. LAA flow velocity and magnitude were assessed with transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography.


METHODS
Peak and mean LAA inflow and outflow velocity, and time-velocity interval (TVI) of LAA flow.


RESULTS
Increasing ventricular rate was associated with significantly lower peak inflow (p < 0.01), peak outflow (p < 0.05), mean inflow (p < 0.01), and mean outflow (p < 0.05) velocities and with a lower TVI of LAA filling and emptying velocities (p < 0.01). This effect was noted at rates of 60 beats/min compared with both 120 and 150 beats/min. At a pacing rate of 120 beats/min there was a significantly higher total TVI when pacing at a regular than at an irregular rhythm (40.16 (14.6) cm v 30.74 (10.9) cm, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, LAA filling velocities in patients in AF were significantly influenced by paced ventricular rate and to a much lesser extent ventricular rhythm. These results suggest that rapid ventricular rates may predispose to stasis in the LAA in AF.
Obel
O A
OA
Department of Cardiological Sciences, St Georges Hospital Medical School, London, UK. owen.obel@utsouthwestern.edu
Luddington
L
L
Maarouf
N
N
Aytemir
K
K
Ekwall
C
C
Malik
M
M
Camm
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011446:Prospective Studies