title: Which parameters describe the electrophysiological properties of successful slow pathway RF ablation in patients with common atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) accounts for about 60% of the patients presenting with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the slow atrioventricular (AV) node pathway is the preferred therapeutic approach in patients with AV node reentrant tachycardia. The aim of our study was describe the electrophysiological properties of successful slow pathway RF ablation in patients with common atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a retrospective analysis involving fifty consecutive patients (18 males; mean age of 39+/-22 years) who underwent slow pathway ablation because of AVNRT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slow junctional beats with a cycle length longer than 550 ms were observed in 39 patients (79%); the presence of rapid junctional beats with a cycle length less than 550 ms was showed in 5 patients (10%). Moreover, in 32 of 50 patients (65%) duration of atrial electrogram more than 40 ms was noticed. Analyzing data reported, we found the statistically significant presence of slow junctional beats (p=0.001) and atrial electrogram >40 ms (p=0.05) in successful RF ablation procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with AVNRT undergoing slow pathway ablation, the duration of atrial electrogram >40 ms and slow junctional beats with cycle length >550 ms during the application of RF energy describe the electrophysiological properties of successful slow pathway RF ablation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Monaldi Hospital, Second University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rago
authors.forename: Annabella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Chiara
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chianese
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Della Cioppa
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calabrò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013613:Tachycardia, Ectopic Junctional / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome