title: Structural and functional inverse cardiac remodeling after cavotricuspid isthmus ablation in patients with typical atrial flutter.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study is to determine the structural and functional cardiac changes that occur in patients at 1-year follow-up after ablation of typical atrial flutter.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 95 consecutive patients referred for cavotricuspid isthmus ablation. Echocardiography was performed at ≤6h post-procedure and 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 95 patients initially included, 89 completed 1-year follow-up. Hypertensive cardiopathy was the most frequently associated condition (39%); 24% of patients presented low baseline left ventricular systolic dysfunction. We observed a significant reduction in right and left atrial areas, end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular diameters, and interventricular septum. We observed substantial improvement in right atrium contraction fraction and left ventricular ejection fraction, and a reduction in pulmonary hypertension. Changes in diastolic dysfunction pattern were observed: 60% of patients progressed from baseline grade III to grade I; at 1-year follow-up, this improvement was found in 81%. We found no structural differences between paroxysmal and persistent atrial flutter at baseline and 1-year follow-up, exception for basal diastolic function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with typical atrial flutter undergoing cavotricuspid isthmus catheter ablation, we found inverse structural and functional cardiac remodeling at 1-year follow-up with much improved left ventricular ejection fraction, right atrium contraction fraction, and diastolic dysfunction pattern. Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org.
authors: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Clínico de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain. Javier.Garcia.Seara@sergas.es
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: García-Seara
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Gude
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Cabanas-Grandío
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Martínez-Sande
authors: Xesús
authors: X
authors: Fernández-López
authors: Juliana
authors: J
authors: Elices-Teja
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Raposeiras Roubin
authors: José R
authors: JR
authors: González-Juanatey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography