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Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
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Fibrillation cycle length predicts cardiovascular events in patients with long-standing persistent atrial

Hironori Nakamura1, Shinichi Niwano2, Hidehira Fukaya2

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, 252-0374, Japan. n.youhan@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp.

Heart and Vessels
|November 20, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Longer fibrillation cycle length (FCL) predicts cardiovascular events in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). This finding highlights FCL as a key outcome predictor in AF management.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases risks for heart failure (HF), stroke, and death.
  • Fibrillation cycle length (FCL) is a surrogate for atrial refractoriness, but its outcome impact is unclear.
  • Predictors of cardiovascular events in long-standing persistent AF require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify predictors of cardiovascular events in patients with long-standing persistent AF.
  • To assess the role of FCL as a predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • 190 patients with long-standing persistent AF were included, excluding those with valvular AF or on anti-arrhythmic drugs.
  • Fibrillation cycle length (FCL) was determined using fast Fourier transformation of surface electrocardiogram waves.
  • A composite outcome of cardiovascular events, cerebrovascular events, and all-cause death was tracked over a median of 2.6 years.

Main Results:

  • 31 patients experienced the primary composite outcome during follow-up.
  • Longer FCL and a history of HF were identified as independent predictors of adverse outcomes in multivariate analysis.
  • Patients with FCL > 160 ms had a significantly increased risk of adverse outcomes (HR 12.9, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Fibrillation cycle length (FCL) is independently associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with long-standing persistent AF.
  • FCL may serve as a valuable prognostic marker in this patient population.
Abstract

Keywords:
Atrial fibrillationCardiovascular eventsCerebrovascular eventsFibrillation cycle length

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