title: Atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion in elderly patients: a role for arterial stiffness? Results from a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia of the elderly, and electrical cardioversion (ECV) is a common procedure, although incidence of recurrences remains high. We evaluated the possible association between arterial stiffness (AS) and the persistence or recurrence of AF in elderly patients after ECV.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled all subjects undergoing ECV over a 9-month period. AS was evaluated with the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). Patients were then visited at follow-up (on average at 6 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients (age 78 ± 7 years; men 67.7 %; CHA2DS2-VASc 4.1 ± 1.6; AF length >2 months 51.6 %; CAVI 9.9 ± 1.6) underwent ECV. At follow-up, sinus rhythm was recorded in 16 (51.6 %) patients. At multivariate analysis, the presence of AF was directly associated with CHA2DS2-VASc score and CAVI. Amiodarone therapy reduced the risk of relapsed AF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In elderly AF patients treated with ECV, AS at baseline seems to predict AF at follow-up.
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy. fumadue@tin.it.
authors: Stefano
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6950-3875
authors: S
authors: Fumagalli
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Giannini
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Pupo
authors: School of Nursing, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Agostini
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Boni
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Anna T
authors: AT
authors: Roberts
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Debbie
authors: D
authors: Gabbai
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Di Serio
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Luciano
authors: L
authors: Gabbani
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Tarantini
authors: Geriatric Intensive Care Unit, Experimental and Clinical Medicine Department, University of Florence and AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy.
authors: Niccolò
authors: N
authors: Marchionni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Atrial fibrillation; CAVI; CHA2DS2-VASc; Elderly; Electrical cardioversion