title: Clinical significance of the assessment of the systolic and diastolic myocardial function of the left atrium in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and low CHADS(2) index treated with catheter ablation therapy.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical significance of the assessment of the diastolic and systolic myocardial function of the left atrium in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and low CHADS(2) scores treated with catheter ablation therapy. In a cohort of 84 symptomatic patients with paroxysmal AF and low CHADS(2) scores (≤1), the clinical significance of the systolic and diastolic myocardial function of the left atrium (assessed using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography) were studied to predict the risk for recurrence of AF after catheter ablation therapy in the course of a follow-up period of ≥1 year. During a mean follow-up period of 19.2 ± 5.4 months, patients with left atrial (LA) myocardial diastolic dysfunction (LA strain <18.8%) had a significantly higher rate of recurrence of AF (42.4% vs 9.8%, p <0.05) compared to those without LA diastolic dysfunction. In line with this finding, patients with impaired LA myocardial systolic function (LA strain rate >-0.85 s(-1)) had worse outcomes after catheter ablation therapy than those with normal LA systolic function (rate of recurrence of AF 42.9% vs 12.5%, respectively, p <0.05). In relation to these results, in a logistic regression analysis including co-morbidities, left ventricular dysfunction, LA enlargement, and LA myocardial alterations, diastolic and systolic LA myocardial dysfunction were the principal variable associated with the recurrence of AF (odds ratios 6.8 and 5.2, respectively). In conclusion, in symptomatic patients with paroxysmal AF and low CHADS(2) scores, these findings suggest that the assessment of diastolic and systolic LA myocardial function using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography could be of great utility to distinguish those patients with high or low risk for recurrence of AF after catheter ablation therapy.
authors: Department of Cardiology (Campus Virchow-Klinikum), Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Morris
authors: Abdul
authors: A
authors: Parwani
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Huemer
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Wutzler
authors: Tarek
authors: T
authors: Bekfani
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Attanasio
authors: Katharina
authors: K
authors: Friedrich
authors: York
authors: Y
authors: Kühnle
authors: Wilhelm
authors: W
authors: Haverkamp
authors: Leif-Hendrik
authors: LH
authors: Boldt
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole; D016896:Treatment Outcome