Supraventricular ectopy and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion.
OBJECTIVE
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is usually preceded by a premature atrial complex (PAC). We hypothesized that patients with a high frequency of atrial ectopic activity after restoration of sinus rhythm following direct current cardioversion would be more likely to experience recurrence of AF.


RESULTS
Forty-four patients with documented persistent AF were studied. A 24 h Holter recording was performed from the day of external direct current cardioversion. Patients were reviewed at 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months. After 6 months, 59% of patients had experienced a recurrence of AF. Neither the frequency of PACs nor the frequency or duration of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) episodes predicted AF recurrence (P=0.60, 0.30, and 0.42, respectively). There was a trend towards maximum rate of SVT predicting recurrence of AF (P=0.08).


CONCLUSIONS
Frequency of supraventricular ectopy or the number and length of SVT runs in the 24 h after restoration of sinus rhythm are not strong predictors of recurrence of AF after electrical cardioversion. A larger study would be required to detect a small predictive effect.
Chong
James J H
JJ
Department of Cardiology, Westmead Hospital, Cnr Hawkesbury and Darcy Rds, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia.
Kumar
Saurabh
S
Thomas
Liza
L
Thomas
Stuart
S
D000368:Aged; D018880:Atrial Premature Complexes / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012008:Recurrence; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome