title: A clinical study on the electrophysiological characteristics of patients without recurrence after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The electrophysiological characteristics of patients without recurrence after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been systematically determined. This study compared the electrophysiological characteristics in patients with and without recurrence of AF after persistent AF ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients without recurrence of AF after persistent AF ablation were enrolled to assess electrophysiological characteristics including pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection, the mitral isthmus (MI) line and the roof line reconduction. Ninety-five patients with recurrence of AF after ablation were used as the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among patients without recurrence, recovery of PV conduction was observed in 37 of 45 (82.2%) patients: 3/45 (6.7%) reconnection in 4 veins, 7/45 (15.6%) in 3 veins, 11/45 (24.4%) in 2 veins, and 16/45 (35.6%) in 1 vein. No significant differences were seen in the proportion of patients with PV reconnection compared to patients with recurrence (p>0.05). Among patients without recurrence, the MI line reconduction was observed in 3/45 (6.7%) patients; the roof line conduction was observed in 5/45 (11.1%) patients. In comparison, patients with clinical recurrence of AF had recovery of the MI line conduction in 27/95 (28.4%) and recovery of the roof line conduction in 26/95 (27.4%). Significant differences were seen between these two groups (6.7% vs 28.4%, p=0.004; 11.1% vs 27.4%, p=0.031).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a high incidence of PV reconnection was similarly observed in patients with and without recurrence of AF, a lower incidence of lines reconduction was observed in patients without recurrence of AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dao-Liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xkliuxu@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Conduction recovery; Mitral isthmus line; Pulmonary vein; Roof line