Complex fractionated electrograms in the right atrial free wall and the superior/posterior wall of the left atrium are affected by activity of the autonomic nervous system

Insights Into the Effects of Low-Level Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Atrial Electrophysiology: Towards Patient-Tailored Cardiac Neuromodulation

BACKGROUND

Low-level vagus nerve stimulation through the tragus (tLLVNS) is increasingly acknowledged as a therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat atrial fibrillation. However, a lack in understanding of the exact antiarrhythmic properties of tLLVNS has hampered clinical implementation.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the authors aimed to study the effects of tLLVNS on atrial electrophysiology by performing intraoperative epicardial mapping during acute and chronic tLLVNS.

METHODS

Epicardial mapping of the superior right atrium was performed before and after arterial graft harvesting in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting without a history of atrial fibrillation. The time needed for arterial graft harvesting was used to perform chronic tLLVNS. Electrophysiological properties were compared before and during chronic tLLVNS.

RESULTS

A total of 10 patients (median age 74 years [IQR: 69-78 years]) underwent tLLVNS for a duration of 56 minutes (IQR: 43-73 minutes). During acute and chronic tLLVNS, a shift of the sinoatrial node exit site toward a more cranial direction was observed in 5 (50%) patients. Unipolar potential voltage increased significantly during acute and chronic tLLVNS (3.9 mV [IQR: 3.1-4.8 mV] vs 4.7 mV [IQR: 4.0-5.3 mV] vs 5.2 mV [IQR: 4.8-7.0 mV]; P = 0.027, P = 0.02, respectively). Total activation time, slope of unipolar potentials, amount of fractionation, low-voltage areas and conduction velocity did not differ significantly between baseline measurements and tLLVNS. Two patients showed consistent "improvement" of all electrophysiological properties during tLLVNS, while 1 patient appeared to have no beneficial effect.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that tLLVNS resulted in a significant increase in unipolar potential voltage. In addition, we observed the following in selective patients: 1) reduction in total activation time; 2) steeper slope of unipolar potentials; 3) decrease in the amount of fractionation; and 4) change in sinoatrial node exit sites.

The role of the autonomic ganglia in atrial fibrillation

Recent experimental and clinical studies have shown that the epicardial autonomic ganglia play an important role in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). In this review, we present the current data on the role of the autonomic ganglia in the pathogenesis of AF and discuss potential therapeutic implications. Experimental studies have demonstrated that acute autonomic remodeling may play a crucial role in AF maintenance in the very early stages. The benefit of adding ablation of the autonomic ganglia to the standard pulmonary vein (PV) isolation procedure for patients with paroxysmal AF is supported by both experimental and clinical data. The interruption of axons from these hyperactive autonomic ganglia to the PV myocardial sleeves may be an important factor in the success of PV isolation procedures. The vagus nerve exerts an inhibitory control over the autonomic ganglia and attenuation or loss of this control may allow these ganglia to become hyperactive. Autonomic neuromodulation using low-level vagus nerve stimulation inhibits the activity of the autonomic ganglia and reverses acute electrical atrial remodeling during rapid atrial pacing and may provide an alternative non-ablative approach for the treatment of AF, especially in the early stages. This notion is supported by a preliminary human study. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Current hot potatoes in atrial fibrillation ablation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has evolved to the treatment of choice for patients with drug-resistant and symptomatic AF. Pulmonary vein isolation at the ostial or antral level usually is sufficient for treatment of true paroxysmal AF. For persistent AF ablation, drivers and perpetuators outside of the pulmonary veins are responsible for AF maintenance and have to be targeted to achieve satisfying arrhythmia-free success rate. Both complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) ablation and linear ablation are added to pulmonary vein isolation for persistent AF ablation. Nevertheless, ablation failure and necessity of repeat ablations are still frequent, especially after persistent AF ablation. Pulmonary vein reconduction is the main reason for arrhythmia recurrence after paroxysmal and to a lesser extent after persistent AF ablation. Failure of persistent AF ablation mostly is a consequence of inadequate trigger ablation, substrate modification or incompletely ablated or reconducting linear lesions. In this review we will discuss these points responsible for AF recurrence after ablation and review current possibilities on how to overcome these limitations.

Spatial relationship between high-dominant-frequency sites and the linear ablation line in persistent atrial fibrillation: its impact on complex fractionated electrograms

AIMS

Complex fractionated electrograms (CFEs) and high-dominant-frequency (DF) sites theoretically represent abnormal substrates and targets for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. The relationship between the high-DF sites in the left atrium (LA) and commonly used linear ablation line to the distribution of the CFEs in patients with persistent AF is unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study enrolled 62 persistent AF patients who underwent construction of LA CFE and DF maps (>350 points/map). Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation and linear ablation including that at the septum, roof, mitral-annulus, and ridge of the appendage were performed. Multipolar catheter mapping identified sites with high DFs (≥ 8 Hz) in all patients (9.8 ± 4.6/patient). In 47 patients in whom AF persisted despite ablation, there was a significant reduction in the continuous CFE (<50 ms) burden after the linear ablation (62 vs.11%; P < 0.0001), with a decrease in both the DF within the coronary sinus (6.9 ± 0.9 vs. 5.9 ± 0.8 Hz; P < 0.0001) and CFE surface area (42.8 ± 18.8 vs. 12.6 ± 10.5 cm(2); P < 0.0001). Comparing the high-DF sites with the ablated lesions, 64% of the high-DF sites (324 of 507) were on or adjacent to the ablation lines. Residual CFEs were observed in the infero-posterior regions in 83% of the patients. Almost half of the high-DF sites away from the linear ablation line were identified in the inferior (34%) and posterior (14%) LA regions.

CONCLUSION

Linear ablation resulted in the localization of the continuous CFE regions and reduced the global LA DF in patients with persistent AF. This may be related to the proximity relationship between the linear ablation lines and high-DF sites except for in the infero-posterior regions.