title: Assessment of atrial conduction abnormalities in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy before and one year after alcohol septal ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intra- and interatrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) can be used to evaluate the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) is an alternative therapy for patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) that results in sustained improvements in atrial structure and function. We investigated the effects of PTSMA on the intra- and inter-AEMD of HOCM patients using tissue Doppler imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Conventional echocardiographic and AEMD parameters were obtained in 25 healthy controls and 31 HOCM patients before and 1 year after septal ablation procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the healthy controls, the left atrial volumes indexed by body surface area (LAVI) and the intra- and inter-AEMD were significantly higher in the HOCM patients. At 1 year after PTSMA, the LAVI was decreased (37.2 ± 11.4 to 27.0 ± 8.5 ml/m(2), p < 0.001). The intra- and inter-AEMD were also significantly decreased (22.7 ± 9.2 to 16.6 ± 7.7 ms, p < 0.001 and 37.0 ± 8.4 to 26.6 ± 8.0 ms, p < 0.001, respectively). These changes correlated well with the reductions in LAVI (r = 0.83, p < 0.001; r = 0.66, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the intra- and inter-AEMD were significantly prolonged in the HOCM patients. PTSMA can improve the prolonged and inhomogeneous propagation of sinus impulses in atria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiansong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jiafen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shubin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Fujian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xiuzhang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Fenghuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Weixian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuejin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome