title: Lone atrial fibrillation: does it exist?
abstract: The historical origin of the term "lone atrial fibrillation" (AF) predates by 60 years our current understanding of the pathophysiology of AF, the multitude of known etiologies for AF, and our ability to image and diagnose heart disease. The term was meant to indicate AF in patients for whom subsequent investigations could not demonstrate heart disease, but for many practitioners has become synonymous with "idiopathic AF." As the list of heart diseases has expanded and diagnostic techniques have improved, the prevalence of lone AF has fallen. The legacy of the intervening years is that definitions of lone AF in the literature are inconsistent so that studies of lone AF are not comparable. Guidelines provide a vague definition of lone AF but do not provide direction about how much or what kind of imaging and other testing are necessary to exclude heart disease. There has been an explosion in the understanding of the pathophysiology of AF in the last 20 years in particular. Nevertheless, there are no apparently unique mechanisms for AF in patients categorized as having lone AF. In addition, the term "lone AF" is not invariably useful in making treatment decisions, and other tools for doing so have been more thoroughly and carefully validated. It is, therefore, recommended that use of the term "lone AF" be avoided.
authors: Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta/University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: dgwyse@ucalgary.ca.
authors: D George
authors: DG
authors: Wyse
authors: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: Isabelle C
authors: IC
authors: Van Gelder
authors: Cardiac Arrhythmia Service and Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors: Patrick T
authors: PT
authors: Ellinor
authors: Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California.
authors: Alan S
authors: AS
authors: Go
authors: Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Jonathan M
authors: JM
authors: Kalman
authors: University of California and Veterans' Affairs Medical Centers, San Diego, California.
authors: Sanjiv M
authors: SM
authors: Narayan
authors: Department of Medicine and Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Stanley
authors: S
authors: Nattel
authors: Department of Physiology, University Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Schotten
authors: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: Michiel
authors: M
authors: Rienstra
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D058406:Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D014943:Global Health; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: idiopathic atrial fibrillation; lone atrial fibrillation; white paper