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Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Early changes in ambulatory electrocardiography after transcatheter closure in patients with atrial septal defect and
Zhenyang Su1, Qing Cao1, Hao Zhang2
1Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 300, Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Insights
Heart rate variability (HRV) improved after atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. Key factors influencing HRV in ASD patients include age, sex, heart rate, defect size, and diabetes, with right ventricular systolic pressure also playing a role.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Devices
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Heart rate variability (HRV) factors in atrial septal defect (ASD) patients remain unclear.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for patient management and risk stratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing HRV in ASD patients.
- To develop a preliminary risk model for HRV changes in ASD.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 154 ASD patients undergoing transcatheter closure and 26 patent foramen ovale (PFO) controls.
- Echocardiography and ambulatory electrocardiography performed pre- and post-procedure.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in HRV indices (SDNN, SDANN) and a decrease in heart rate were observed post-ASD closure.
- Multiple regression identified age, sex, defect diameter, heart rate, and diabetes as significant predictors of HRV.
- Right ventricular systolic pressure showed a significant correlation with HRV indices.
Conclusions:
- Age, sex, heart rate, defect size, and diabetes are key determinants of HRV in ASD patients.
- Right ventricular systolic pressure is an important factor influencing HRV changes in this population.
Background:
Factors affecting heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) have not been clarified. This study sought to identify those factors and establish a preliminary risk model.
Methods:
A total of 154 patients with ASD who underwent transcatheter closure and met the study requirements were analyzed in this study. Moreover, 26 patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) were enrolled in our study as a control group. All patients underwent echocardiography and ambulatory electrocardiography before and one day after the procedure.
Results:
The standard deviation of all normal-to-normal (NN) intervals (SDNN) and the standard deviation of the averages of the NN intervals in all 5 min segments of the entire recording (SDANN) were significantly higher and the heart rate was lower after closure than before closure in patients with ASD (SDNN: 6.08, 95% CI 3.00 to 9.15, p < 0.001; SDANN: 7.57, 95% CI 4.50 to 10.64, p < 0.001; heart rate: -1.17, 95% CI - 2.86 to - 0.48, p = 0.006). Multiple regression analyses indicated that age, sex, defect diameter, heart rate and diabetes were significantly associated with HRV indices (SDNN: R2 = 0.415; P < 0.001). SDNN and SDANN had obvious correlations with right ventricular systolic pressure (SDNN: R = - 0.370, p < 0.001; SDANN: R = - 0.360, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Factors affecting HRV in patients with ASD include age, sex, heart rate, defect size and diabetes. Furthermore, right ventricular systolic pressure plays an important role in the change in HRV.
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