Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 31, 2025

High-Resolution Endocardial and Epicardial Optical Mapping in a Sheep Model of Stretch-Induced Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 29, 2011
Temporal Dispersion of Atrial Activation Causes Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation
Yasuhiro Kawase1, Yosuke Ishii1, Dai Nishina2
1Nippon Medical School Hospital, Cardiovascular Surgery.
Background:
Spatial dispersion of atrial activation is a cause of postoperative atrial fibrillation (PoAF) after cardiac surgery. This study evaluated whether temporal dispersion of atrial activation causes PoAF after surgery in a clinical setting.
Methods:
Nineteen patients were enrolled. Postoperative atrial activation was evaluated by 24-hour Holter electrocardiography, with atrial pacing wires on the right atrium, for 5 days after cardiac surgery. No patient received antiarrhythmic drugs, including beta-blockers. The cycle length of 15 continuous atrial beats was measured at 4 time points: (i) earlier than 12 hours before PoAF, as a control, (ii) just before PoAF onset, (iii) during PoAF, and (iv) just before cessation of PoAF. Inhomogeneity of atrial activation was quantified by using the variation coefficient for a cycle length of 15 atrial beats during each phase.
Results:
The median inhomogeneity index of atrial activation (interquartile range) was 0.102 (0.046-0.136) in controls, 0.943 (0.582-1.610) just before PoAF onset (vs. control; p=0.009), 0.966 (0.631-1.117) during PoAF, and 0.471 (0.138-0.645) just before cessation of PoAF.
Conclusions:
Dispersion of atrial activation significantly increased just before PoAF onset. Temporal dispersion of atrial activation is a precursory variation of PoAF.
More Related Videos
08:10Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
08:56Sterile Pericarditis in Aachener Minipigs As a Model for Atrial Myopathy and Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: September 24, 2021
Related Concept Videos
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Dysrhythmias III: Characteristics of Dysrhythmias
Disturbances in Heart Rhythm
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow heart...
Dysrhythmias IV: Characteristics of Bradyarrhythmias
Dysrhythmias II: Classification of Tachyarrhythmias
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias