title: Tissue Doppler imaging analysis at pre-cardioversion time predicts recurrent atrial fibrillation: a 12-month follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) has been extensively used in several clinical settings. We aimed to investigate whether TDI can predict recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-four consecutive patients (aged 62.6 +/- 11.7 years) with AF (>48 hours and <6 months of duration) who underwent successful external electrical direct current cardioversion and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled. Conventional echocardiography and TDI were prospectively performed before cardioversion. Based on a cutoff point of 5.43 cm/sec for the negative systolic wave velocity (NSWV), derived by the normal controls (mean + 2 SD), patients were divided into Group I (36 patients) with a NSWV >5.43 cm/sec and Group II (38 patients) with NSWV <or=5.43 cm/sec. In Group I, 27.8% of patients were in sinus rhythm at 6 months, but had episodes of asymptomatic paroxysmal AF lasting >48 hours; all patients were in AF at 12 months. In Group II, all patients were in sinus rhythm at 12 months. However, those patients presenting with a NSWV less but near to 5 cm/sec had frequent episodes of asymptomatic paroxysmal AF lasting for <48 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One year after successful direct current cardioversion, TDI analysis at pre-cardioversion time may be a useful marker to identify a subgroup of patients with increased risk for AF recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Cardiology, Attiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece. iparas@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Paraskevaidis
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vartela
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsiapras
authors.forename: Efstathios K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Iliodromitis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parissis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farmakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios Th
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kremastinos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed / Q000379:methods*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013997:Time Factors