title: Atrial Fibrillation During Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.
abstract: The landmark trials on cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have focused on patients with sinus rhythm at inclusion. Little data are available on the efficacy of CRT in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), while AF has a high prevalence (20-40%) among patients receiving CRT. This review focuses on the detrimental effect of AF on CRT response and discusses management of patients with AF during CRT. Uncertainty remains as to which thresholds of AF burden can lead to a reduced response to CRT and every effort should be made in trying to assess and guarantee successful biventricular pacing in patients with AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mariëlle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kloosterman
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Maass
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rienstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: i.c.van.gelder@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Isabelle C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Van Gelder
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D058406:Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D015897:Comorbidity; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Atrioventricular junction ablation; Biventricular pacing; Heart failure; Implantation