title: Influence of reciprocating tachycardia on the development of atrial fibrillation in patients with preexcitation syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to evaluate the influence of atrio-ventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) on atrial pressures during tachycardia and the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with preexcitation syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 88 patients (37 females, mean age 37.3 years) with left-sided accessory pathway and AVRT induced during electrophysiologic study. The AF-inducible group consisted of 32 patients with sustained episodes of AF provoked during electrophysiologic study, whereas the noninducible group comprised 56 patients without AF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significantly higher values of maximal and mean left (LAP) and right (RAP) atrial pressures in the AF group compared with noninducible group: LAP max 32.0 versus 20.8, LAP mean 21.6 versus 13.2, RAP max 15.2 versus 11.5, RAP mean 8.2 versus 6.2 respectively (P < 0.001). When analyzing the effect of AVRT on atrial pressures, we found a significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation between anterograde conduction times during tachycardia and LAP max and LAP mean in the whole population, but a significant positive correlation between retrograde conduction time and left atrial pressures. Similar effects of AVRT on the right atrial pressures were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atrial pressures during AVRT, which depend on the electrophysiological features of tachycardia, play an important role in the genesis of atrial fibrillation in patients with preexcitation syndrome.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Silesian School of Medicine, Silesian Center of Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland. elfizab@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kalarus
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lenarczyk
authors.forename: Oskar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pruszkowska-Skrzep
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krupa
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sredniawa
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sokal
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zielińska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011226:Pre-Excitation Syndromes / Q000150:complications*; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000150:complications*; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000150:complications*