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Franco E, Lozano-Granero C, Matía Francés R, Hernández-Madrid A, Sánchez I, Zamorano JL, Moreno J. Subjective identification and ablation of drivers improves rhythm control in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. The CHAOS-AF study. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE CARDIOLOGIA (ENGLISH ED.) 2024; 77:723-733. [PMID: 38336154 DOI: 10.1016/j.rec.2024.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The optimal approach for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains unknown. In patients with persistent AF, we compared an ablation strategy based on pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus ablation of drivers (PVI+D), with a conventional PVI-only approach performed in a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort. METHODS Drivers were subjectively identified using conventional high-density mapping catheters (IntellaMap ORION, PentaRay NAV or Advisor HD Grid), without dedicated software, as fractionated continuous or quasicontinuous electrograms on 1 to 2 adjacent bipoles, which were ablated first; and as sites with spatiotemporal dispersion (the entire cycle length comprised within the mapping catheter) plus noncontinuous fractionation, which were only targeted in patients without fractionated continuous electrograms, or without AF conversion after ablation of fractionated continuous electrograms. Ablation included PVI plus focal or linear ablation targeting drivers. RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included in each group (61±10 years, 25% women). Fractionated continuous electrograms were found and ablated in 21 patients from the PVI+D group (42%), leading to AF conversion in 7 patients. In the remaining 43 patients, 143 sites with spatiotemporal dispersion plus noncontinuous fractionation were targeted. Globally, AF conversion was achieved in 21 patients (42%). The PVI+D group showed lower atrial arrhythmia recurrences at 1 year of follow-up (30.6% vs 48%; P=.048) and at the last follow-up (46% vs 72%; P=.013), and less progression to permanent AF (10% vs 40%; P=.001). CONCLUSIONS Subjective identification and ablation of drivers, added to PVI, increased 1-year freedom from atrial arrhythmia and decreased long-term recurrences and progression to permanent AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Franco
- Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain.
| | - Cristina Lozano-Granero
- Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain
| | | | | | - Inmaculada Sánchez
- Departamento de Cardiología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Zamorano
- Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain
| | - Javier Moreno
- Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Spain
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Marzak H, Gennesseaux G, Hammann J, Ringele R, Fitouchi S, Severac F, Cardi T, Kanso M, Schatz A, Ohlmann P, Morel O, Jesel L. Left atrial remodeling and voltage-guided ablation outcome in persistent atrial fibrillation patients according to CHA 2DS 2-VASc score. BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2024; 24:347. [PMID: 38977958 PMCID: PMC11229227 DOI: 10.1186/s12872-024-04009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CHA2DS2-VASc score-related differences have been reported in atrial fibrotic remodeling and prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after ablation. There are currently no data on the efficacy of low voltage zone (LVZ)-guided ablation in persistent AF patients according to CHA2DS2-VASc score. We assessed in a cohort of persistent AF patients the extent of LVZ, the regional distribution of LA voltage and the outcome of LA voltage-guided substrate ablation in addition to PVI according to CHA2DS2-VASc score. METHODS 138 consecutive persistent AF patients undergoing a first voltage-guided catheter ablation were enrolled. 58 patients with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≥ 3 and 80 patients with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≤ 2 were included. LA voltage maps were obtained using 3D-electroanatomical mapping system in sinus rhythm. LVZ was defined as < 0.5 mV. RESULTS In the high CHAD2DS2-VASc score group, LA voltage was lower (1.5 [1.1-2.5] vs. 2.3 [1.5-2.8] mV, p = 0.02) and LVZs were more frequently identified (40% vs. 18%), p < 0.01). Female with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 3 (p = 0.031), LA indexed volume (p = 0.009) and P-wave duration ≥ 150 ms (p = 0.001) were predictors of LVZ. After a 36-month follow-up, atrial arrhythmia-free survival was similar between the two groups (logrank test, P = 0.676). CONCLUSIONS AF patients with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≥ 3 display more LA substrate remodeling with lower voltage and more LVZs compared with those with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≤ 2. Despite this atrial remodeling, they had similar and favorable 36 months results after one single procedure. Unlike male with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≥ 3, female with CHAD2DS2-VASc score ≥ 3 was predictor of LVZ occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halim Marzak
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Gabrielle Gennesseaux
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Justine Hammann
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Romain Ringele
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Simon Fitouchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Severac
- Public Health Service, Groupe Méthodes en Recherche Clinique (GMRC), Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Cardi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mohamad Kanso
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandre Schatz
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Patrick Ohlmann
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Olivier Morel
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
- INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), UMR 1260, FMTS, Regenerative Nanomedicine, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laurence Jesel
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
- INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), UMR 1260, FMTS, Regenerative Nanomedicine, Strasbourg, France
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3
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Marzak H, Ringele R, Matsushita K, Marchandot B, Fitouchi S, Cardi T, Kanso M, Schatz A, Hammann J, Ohlmann P, Morel O, Jesel L. Impact of gender on left atrial low-voltage zones in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: results of a voltage-guided ablation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1229345. [PMID: 37692044 PMCID: PMC10484507 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1229345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gender-related differences have been reported in atrial fibrotic remodeling and prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after ablation. We assessed in persistent AF the regional distribution of left atrial (LA) bipolar voltage and the extent of low-voltage zones (LVZ) according to gender as well as the results of a voltage-guided substrate ablation. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent a voltage-guided AF ablation were enrolled. LA endocardial voltage maps were obtained using a 3D electro-anatomical mapping system in sinus rhythm. LVZ was defined as <0.5 mV. Results A total of 115 patients were enrolled (74 men, 41 women). The LA bipolar voltage amplitude was twice lower in the whole LA (p < 0.01) and in each atrial region in women compared with men, whereas the LA indexed volume was similar. LVZ were found in 56.1% of women and 16.2% of men (p < 0.01). LVZ were also more extensive in women (p = 0.01), especially in the anterior LA. Atrial voltage alteration occurred earlier in women than in men. In a multivariate analysis, the female sex (OR 12.99; 95% CI, 3.23-51.63, p = 0.0001) and LA indexed volume (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04-1.16, p = 0.001) were predictive of LVZ. Atrial arrhythmia-free survival was similar in men and women 36 months after a single ablation procedure. Conclusion The study reports a strong relationship between the female gender and atrial substrate remodeling. The female gender was significantly associated with higher incidence, earlier occurrence, and greater extent of LVZ compared with men. Despite the female-specific characteristics in atrial remodeling, LVZ-guided ablation may improve the AF ablation outcome in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halim Marzak
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Romain Ringele
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kensuke Matsushita
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
- Regenerative Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, UMR 1260 INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Benjamin Marchandot
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Simon Fitouchi
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Cardi
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mohamad Kanso
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexandre Schatz
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Justine Hammann
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Patrick Ohlmann
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
| | - Olivier Morel
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
- Regenerative Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, UMR 1260 INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laurence Jesel
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
- Regenerative Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, UMR 1260 INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Erhard N, Mauer T, Ouyang F, Sciacca V, Rillig A, Reissmann B, Rottner L, Mathew S, Sohns C, Heeger CH, Tilz RR, Kuck KH, Metzner A, Fink T. Mechanisms of late arrhythmia recurrence after initially successful pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2023; 46:161-168. [PMID: 36588339 DOI: 10.1111/pace.14656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Catheter ablation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF,) but arrhythmia recurrence occurs in a relevant number of patients. Mechanisms of late occurring arrhythmias after ablation procedures are not fully understood. We analyzed electrophysiological mechanisms of early and late arrhythmia recurrences in patients who underwent radiofrequency-based catheter ablation of AF. METHODS AND RESULTS Consecutive patients who underwent repeat ablation procedures after initial pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for symptomatic arrhythmia recurrence were analyzed. A total of 110 consecutive patients who underwent catheter ablation for paroxysmal (79%) or persistent AF (21%) were included. Forty-seven patients suffered from early arrhythmia recurrence (group #1: 3-24 months), 29 patients from mid-term arrhythmia recurrences (group #2: 2-5 years), and 34 patients from late arrhythmia recurrences (group #3: > 5 years). Electrical PV reconnection was found in 98% in group #1, 72% in group #2 and 56% in group #3 (p < .001). Mode of arrhythmia recurrence was organized tachycardia in 25%, 28%, and 65% of patients in groups #1, #2, and #3 (p = .001), respectively. Patients with late arrhythmia recurrence had more pronounced left atrial low voltage as compared to patients with early arrhythmia recurrence based on two published scoring system. CONCLUSION Electrical PV reconnection was found in the majority of patients with early AF recurrence after PVI. In patients with late arrhythmia recurrences this mechanism may play an inferior role, with many patients presenting without PV reconnection, but with LA structural alterations. Thus, early and late occurring arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation may be the same symptom of different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Erhard
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Electrophysiology, German Heart Center Munich, Technical University of Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | - Tilman Mauer
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Feifan Ouyang
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vanessa Sciacca
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Clinic for Electrophysiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
| | - Andreas Rillig
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Reissmann
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Laura Rottner
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Shibu Mathew
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christian Sohns
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian-Hendrik Heeger
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,University Heart Center Lübeck, Medical Clinic II (Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Roland Richard Tilz
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,University Heart Center Lübeck, Medical Clinic II (Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Kuck
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,University Heart Center Lübeck, Medical Clinic II (Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany.,LANS CARDIO, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Metzner
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Fink
- Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany.,Clinic for Electrophysiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
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5
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Hangiel U, Kuśnierz J, Bardyszewski A, Dzwonkowska D, Polańska-Skrzypczyk M, Derejko P. Atrial electrogram amplitude variability during atrial fibrillation ablation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2023; 34:35-43. [PMID: 36217991 DOI: 10.1111/jce.15702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Variability of the bipolar atrial electrogram amplitude may affect voltage maps created during ablation procedures, and thus also the extent of ablations. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the beat-to-beat electrogram amplitude variability in the left atrium in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation. METHODS In 11 patients undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation, 362 mapping points were collected in two series. At each point, three consecutive beats were recorded and verified including the bipolar electrogram amplitude, contact force (CF), and orientation of the catheter tip. The repeatability and reproducibility of obtained measurements between consecutive beats and series were assessed by the Pearson correlation coefficient (r), the Bland-Altman test, repeatability coefficient (RC), relative standard deviation (RSD), and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). RESULTS A total of 1086 beats were analyzed. The correlation coefficient for bipolar atrial electrogram amplitude for the first two beats, and for the first and the third beats were 0.94 and 0.86, respectively. The average of differences between the first two beats and between the first and the third beats were 0.06 and 0.13 mV with 95% limits of agreement (LoA) within ±0.98 and ±1.74 mV, respectively. For CF values ≤5 and ≥20 g, the 95% LoA were narrower compared to other CF ranges and were ±0.49 and ±0.71 mV from the average value, respectively. When the analyzes were performed within the predefined ranges of bipolar electrogram amplitude: 0.05-1; 1-2; 2-3 mV, the 95% LoA were within ±0.33, ±0.98, and ±0.84 mV from the average value, respectively. RC and RSD were 1.41 mV and 20.8%, respectively. For repeated measurement between series, CCC ranged from 0.67 to 0.71 and the 95% LoA were within ±2.7 to 2.9 mV from the average value. CONCLUSION Bipolar atrial electrogram amplitude recorded at a given site during ablation procedures is variable to an extent that may be clinically relevant. The magnitude of the observed variability is greater during remapping.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacek Kuśnierz
- Department of Cardiology, Medicover Hospital, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Paweł Derejko
- Department of Cardiology, Medicover Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.,Cardiac Arrhythmias Department, National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland
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Bergonti M, Spera FR, Ferrero TG, Nsahlai M, Bonomi A, Tijskens M, Boris W, Saenen J, Huybrechts W, Miljoen H, González‐Juanatey JR, Martínez‐Sande JL, Vandaele L, Wittock A, Heidbuchel H, Valderrábano M, Rodríguez‐Mañero M, Sarkozy A. Characterization of Atrial Substrate to Predict the Success of Pulmonary Vein Isolation: The Prospective, Multicenter MASH-AF II (Multipolar Atrial Substrate High Density Mapping in Atrial Fibrillation) Study. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 12:e027795. [PMID: 36565183 PMCID: PMC9973584 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.027795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Left atrial substrate may have mechanistic relevance for ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to analyze the relationship between low-voltage zones (LVZs), transition zones, and AF recurrence in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation. Methods and Results We conducted a prospective multicenter study on consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation-only approach. LVZs and transition zones (0.5-1 mV) were analyzed offline on high-density electroanatomical maps collected before pulmonary vein isolation. Overall, 262 patients (61±11 years, 31% female) with paroxysmal (130 pts) or persistent (132 pts) AF were included. After 28 months of follow-up, 73 (28%) patients experienced recurrence. An extension of more than 5% LVZ in paroxysmal AF and more than 15% in persistent AF was associated with recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 4.4 [95% CI, 2.0-9.8], P<0.001 and HR, 1.9 [95% CI, 1.1-3.7], P=0.04, respectively). Significant association was found between LVZs and transition zones and between LVZs and left atrial volume index (LAVI) (both P<0.001). Thirty percent of patients had significantly increased LAVI without LVZs. Eight percent of patients had LVZs despite normal LAVI. Older age, female sex, oncological history, and increased AF recurrence characterized the latter subgroup. Conclusions In patients undergoing first pulmonary vein isolation, the impact of LVZs on outcomes occurs with lower burden in paroxysmal than persistent AF, suggesting that not all LVZs have equal prognostic implications. A proportional area of moderately decreased voltages accompanies LVZs, suggesting a continuous substrate instead of the dichotomous division of healthy or diseased tissue. LAVI generally correlates with LVZs, but a small subgroup of patients may present with disproportionate atrial remodeling, despite normal LAVI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bergonti
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | | | - Teba Gonzalez Ferrero
- Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) SERGASSantiago de CompostelaSpain
| | - Michelle Nsahlai
- Department of CardiologyDeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist HospitalHoustonTX
| | - Alice Bonomi
- Department of Clinical Science and Community HealthUniversity of Milan at Centro Cardiologico MonzinoMilanItaly
| | - Maxime Tijskens
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Wim Boris
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Johan Saenen
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Wim Huybrechts
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Hielko Miljoen
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | | | - Jose Luis Martínez‐Sande
- Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) SERGASSantiago de CompostelaSpain
| | - Lien Vandaele
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Anouk Wittock
- Department of AnesthesiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Hein Heidbuchel
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium,Department GENCORUniversity of AntwerpEdegemAntwerpBelgium
| | - Miguel Valderrábano
- Department of CardiologyDeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist HospitalHoustonTX
| | - Moises Rodríguez‐Mañero
- Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) SERGASSantiago de CompostelaSpain
| | - Andrea Sarkozy
- Department of CardiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium,Department GENCORUniversity of AntwerpEdegemAntwerpBelgium
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7
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Kreimer F, Gotzmann M. Left Atrial Cardiomyopathy - A Challenging Diagnosis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:942385. [PMID: 35845077 PMCID: PMC9280085 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.942385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Left atrial cardiomyopathy (LACM) has been an ongoing focus of research for several years. There is evidence that LACM is responsible for atrial fibrillation and embolic strokes of undetermined sources. Therefore, the correct diagnosis of LACM is of clinical importance. Various techniques, including electrocardiography, echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, electroanatomic mapping, genetic testing, and biomarkers, can both identify and quantify structural, mechanical as well as electrical dysfunction in the atria. However, the question arises whether these techniques can reliably diagnose LACM. Because of its heterogeneity, clinical diagnosis is challenging. To date, there are no recommendations for standardized diagnosis of suspected LACM. However, standardization could help to classify LACM more precisely and derive therapeutic directions to improve individual patient management. In addition, uniform diagnostic criteria for LACM could be important for future studies. Combining several parameters and relating them seems beneficial to approach the diagnosis of LACM. This review provides an overview of the current evidence regarding the diagnosis of LACM, in which several potential parameters are discussed and, consequently, a proposal for a diagnostic algorithm is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Kreimer
- University Hospital St. Josef-Hospital Bochum, Cardiology and Rhythmology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michael Gotzmann
- University Hospital St. Josef-Hospital Bochum, Cardiology and Rhythmology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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8
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De Lurgio DB. Tailored Ablation Beyond the Pulmonary Veins for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Any Closer to Our Holy Grail? JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2022; 8:892-894. [PMID: 35863815 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David B De Lurgio
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Emory St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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9
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Yamaguchi T, Otsubo T, Takahashi Y, Nakashima K, Fukui A, Hirota K, Ishii Y, Shinzato K, Osako R, Tahara M, Kawano Y, Kawaguchi A, Aishima S, Takahashi N, Node K. Atrial Structural Remodeling in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is a Diffuse Fibrotic Process: Evidence From High-Density Voltage Mapping and Atrial Biopsy. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e024521. [PMID: 35261287 PMCID: PMC9075313 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.024521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Low‐voltage areas (LVAs) in the atria of patients with atrial fibrillation are considered local fibrosis. We hypothesized that voltage reduction in the atria is a diffuse process associated with fibrosis and that the presence of LVAs reflects a global voltage reduction. Methods and Results We examined 140 patients with atrial fibrillation and 13 patients with a left accessory pathway (controls). High‐density bipolar voltage mapping was performed using a grid‐mapping catheter during high right atrial pacing. Global left atrial (LA) voltage (VGLA) in the whole LA and regional LA voltage (VRLA) in 6 anatomic regions were evaluated with the mean of the highest voltage at a sampling density of 1 cm2. Patients with atrial fibrillation were categorized into quartiles by VGLA. LVAs were evaluated at voltage cutoffs of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mV. Twenty‐eight patients with atrial fibrillation also underwent right atrial septum biopsy, and the fibrosis extent was quantified. Voltage at the biopsy site (Vbiopsy) was recorded. VGLA results by category were Q1 (<4.2 mV), Q2 (4.2–5.6 mV), Q3 (5.7–7.0 mV), and Q4 (≥7.1 mV). VRLA at any region was reduced as VGLA decreased. VGLA and VRLA did not differ between Q4 and controls. The presence of LVAs increased as VGLA decreased at any voltage cutoff. Biopsies revealed 11±6% fibrosis, which was inversely correlated with both Vbiopsy and VGLA (r=–0.71 and –0.72, respectively). Vbiopsy was correlated with VGLA (r=0.82). Conclusions Voltage reduction in the LA is a diffuse process associated with fibrosis. Presence of LVAs reflects diffuse voltage reduction of the LA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Yamaguchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan.,Department of Advanced Management of Cardiac Arrhythmia Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Toyokazu Otsubo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan.,Department of Advanced Management of Cardiac Arrhythmia Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Yuya Takahashi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Kana Nakashima
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Akira Fukui
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination Faculty of Medicine Oita University Yufu Japan
| | - Kei Hirota
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination Faculty of Medicine Oita University Yufu Japan
| | - Yumi Ishii
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination Faculty of Medicine Oita University Yufu Japan
| | - Kodai Shinzato
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Ryosuke Osako
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Mai Tahara
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Yuki Kawano
- Division of Cardiology Saiseikai Futsukaichi Hospital Fukuoka Japan
| | - Atsushi Kawaguchi
- Education and Research Center for Community Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Shinichi Aishima
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology Saga University Saga Japan
| | - Naohiko Takahashi
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination Faculty of Medicine Oita University Yufu Japan
| | - Koichi Node
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine Saga University Saga Japan
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10
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Frontera A, Limite LR, Pagani S, Cireddu M, Vlachos K, Martin C, Takigawa M, Kitamura T, Bourier F, Cheniti G, Pambrun T, Sacher F, Derval N, Hocini M, Quarteroni A, Della Bella P, Haissaguerre M, Jaïs P. Electrogram fractionation during sinus rhythm occurs in normal voltage atrial tissue in patients with atrial fibrillation. PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY: PACE 2021; 45:219-228. [PMID: 34919281 DOI: 10.1111/pace.14425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Electrogram (EGM) fractionation is often associated with diseased atrial tissue; however, mechanisms for fractionation occurring above an established threshold of 0.5 mV have never been characterized. We sought to investigate during sinus rhythm (SR) the mechanisms underlying bipolar EGM fractionation with high-density mapping in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS Forty-five patients undergoing AF ablation (73% paroxysmal, 27% persistent) were mapped at high density (18562 ± 2551 points) during SR (Rhythmia). Only bipolar EGMs with voltages above 0.5 mV were considered for analysis. When fractionation (>40 ms and >4 deflections) was detected, we classified the mechanisms as slow conduction, wave-front collision, or a pivot point. The relationship between EGM duration and amplitude, and tissue anisotropy and slow conduction, was then studied using a computational model. RESULTS Of the 45 left atria analyzed, 133 sites of EGM fragmentation were identified with voltages above 0.5 mV. The most frequent mechanism (64%) was slow conduction (velocity 0.45 m/s ± 0.2) with mean EGM voltage of 1.1 ± 0.5 mV and duration of 54.9 ± 9.4 ms. Wavefront collision was the second most frequent (19%), characterized by higher voltage (1.6 ± 0.9 mV) and shorter duration (51.3 ± 11.3 ms). Pivot points (9%) were associated with the highest degree of fractionation with 70.7 ± 6.6 ms and 1.8 ± 1 mV. In 10 sites (8%) fractionation was unexplained. The EGM duration was significantly different among the 3 mechanisms (p = 0.0351). CONCLUSION In patients with a history of AF, EGM fractionation can occur at amplitudes > 0.5 mV when in SR in areas often considered not to be diseased tissue. The main mechanism of EGM fractionation is slow conduction, followed by wavefront collision and pivot sites. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Frontera
- Department of Arrhythmology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, 20132, Italy.,Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | | | - Stefano Pagani
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Cireddu
- Department of Arrhythmology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Kostantinos Vlachos
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | | | - Masateru Takigawa
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Takeshi Kitamura
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Felix Bourier
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Ghassen Cheniti
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Thomas Pambrun
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Frederic Sacher
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Nicolas Derval
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Meleze Hocini
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Alfio Quarteroni
- MOX, Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Professor Emeritus, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Della Bella
- Department of Arrhythmology, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - Michel Haissaguerre
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
| | - Pierre Jaïs
- Electrophysiology laboratories, Hopital Haut Leveque, Pessac, 33600, France.,LIRYC institute, Pessac, 33600, France
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11
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Hanna B, Akoum N. Assessment of Atrial Fibrosis and Its Implications in Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11936-021-00952-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Barnett AS, Bahnson TD. Recurrent atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation: Box it or not? Heart Rhythm O2 2021; 2:498-499. [PMID: 34667965 PMCID: PMC8505211 DOI: 10.1016/j.hroo.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam S. Barnett
- Duke University Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Section and Duke Center for Atrial Fibrillation, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Tristram D. Bahnson
- Duke University Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Section and Duke Center for Atrial Fibrillation, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina
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13
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Baskovski E, Altin AT, Candemir B, Akyurek O, Esenboga K, Tutar E. Relationship between left atrial scar and P wave dispersion in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. Acta Cardiol 2021; 77:586-592. [PMID: 34427176 DOI: 10.1080/00015385.2021.1967613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Left atrial scar is an important entity in the atrial fibrillation substrate. P wave dispersion (PWD) is an indicator of slow and inhomogeneous conduction in the atria. In this study, we aim to investigate the relation between PWD and left atrial scars identified by electroanatomical mapping. METHODS Patients who had an electroanatomical map obtained during sinus rhythm as well as at least one electrocardiogram in sinus rhythm prior to the procedure were included in the study. Left atrial scar (defined as <0.5 mV) area was calculated on the electroanatomical map. Maximum and minimum P wave duration and PWD were compared between patients with and without left atrial scar. RESULTS A total of 224 patients were enrolled in the study. Of them, 47.9% of the patients were female. On the electroanatomical map, left atrial scar was identified in 103 patients, and no scar was present in 121 patients. PWD was significantly increased in patients with left atrial scar when compared to the no-scar group (46 ms ± 20 vs. 38 ms ± 15, respectively, p < 0.001). Similarly, PWD was significantly increased in patients with moderate-to-severe scar, when compared to patients with mild scar (50 ms ± 19 vs. 41 ms ± 19, respectively, p = 0.026). PWD was found not to be a good predictor of left atrial scar with an AUC of 0.625 for scar vs. no scar. CONCLUSION PWD is significantly increased in patients with left atrial scar identified by electroanatomical mapping, however, the receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that PWD is not a good predictor of presence of left atrial scar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Baskovski
- Cardiology Department, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Basar Candemir
- Cardiology Department, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Omer Akyurek
- Cardiology Department, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kerim Esenboga
- Cardiology Department, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Eralp Tutar
- Cardiology Department, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
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14
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Kiedrowicz RM, Wielusinski M, Wojtarowicz A, Kazmierczak J. Left and right atrial appendage functional features as predictors for voltage-defined left atrial remodelling in patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. Heart Vessels 2021; 36:853-862. [PMID: 33386923 PMCID: PMC8093174 DOI: 10.1007/s00380-020-01752-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
It was hypothesised that left atrial (LA) fibrosis identified by the presence of low-voltage areas (LVA) may influence the mechanical and electrical function of the left (LAA) and right (RAA) atrial appendage among the long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) population. 140 consecutive patients underwent voltage mapping of LA with a multielectrode catheter following pulmonary vein isolation and restoration of sinus rhythm with cardioversion. Echocardiography determined LAA peak outflow and inflow velocities and intracardiac catheter-based mean LAA and RAA AF cycle length (AFCL) were obtained during AF before ablation. The impact of flow velocities and AFCL on the prevalence and location of LVA was further evaluated. LVA were detected in 54% of the patients. 14% of the patients presented severe global LVA burden > 20% of the total LA surface area. 29% of the patients presented a disseminated pattern of remodelling as 3 out of 5 LA segments were affected. LAA AFCL, RAA AFCL, LAA flow velocities did not predict the absolute presence of LVA. However LAA AFCL > 155 ms predicted disseminated LVA pattern and LAA AFCL > 165 ms severe LVA incidence. LAA AFCL > 155 ms was predictive for existence of LVA within antero-septal LA segments whilst LAA emptying velocity ≤ 0.2 m/s within lateral wall. Moreover RAA AFCL > 165 ms was strongly related to the presence of LAA AFCL > 15 ms and > 165 ms. LAA and RAA functional assessment was predictive of the presence of advanced stages of voltage-defined LA fibrosis and its regional distribution among LSPAF population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radoslaw Marek Kiedrowicz
- Cardiology Department, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wlkp. 72, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland.
| | - Maciej Wielusinski
- Cardiology Department, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wlkp. 72, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Andrzej Wojtarowicz
- Cardiology Department, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wlkp. 72, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jaroslaw Kazmierczak
- Cardiology Department, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wlkp. 72, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland
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15
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Muffoletto M, Qureshi A, Zeidan A, Muizniece L, Fu X, Zhao J, Roy A, Bates PA, Aslanidi O. Toward Patient-Specific Prediction of Ablation Strategies for Atrial Fibrillation Using Deep Learning. Front Physiol 2021; 12:674106. [PMID: 34122144 PMCID: PMC8187921 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.674106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that affects 1% of the population worldwide and is associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality. Catheter ablation (CA) has become one of the first line treatments for AF, but its success rates are suboptimal, especially in the case of persistent AF. Computational approaches have shown promise in predicting the CA strategy using simulations of atrial models, as well as applying deep learning to atrial images. We propose a novel approach that combines image-based computational modelling of the atria with deep learning classifiers trained on patient-specific atrial models, which can be used to assist in CA therapy selection. Therefore, we trained a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) using a combination of (i) 122 atrial tissue images obtained by unfolding patient LGE-MRI datasets, (ii) 157 additional synthetic images derived from the patient data to enhance the training dataset, and (iii) the outcomes of 558 CA simulations to terminate several AF scenarios in the corresponding image-based atrial models. Four CNN classifiers were trained on this patient-specific dataset balanced using several techniques to predict three common CA strategies from the patient atrial images: pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), rotor-based ablation (Rotor) and fibrosis-based ablation (Fibro). The training accuracy for these classifiers ranged from 96.22 to 97.69%, while the validation accuracy was from 78.68 to 86.50%. After training, the classifiers were applied to predict CA strategies for an unseen holdout test set of atrial images, and the results were compared to outcomes of the respective image-based simulations. The highest success rate was observed in the correct prediction of the Rotor and Fibro strategies (100%), whereas the PVI class was predicted in 33.33% of the cases. In conclusion, this study provides a proof-of-concept that deep neural networks can learn from patient-specific MRI datasets and image-derived models of AF, providing a novel technology to assist in tailoring CA therapy to a patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marica Muffoletto
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Biomolecular Modelling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Qureshi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aya Zeidan
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laila Muizniece
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xiao Fu
- Biomolecular Modelling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jichao Zhao
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Aditi Roy
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A. Bates
- Biomolecular Modelling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oleg Aslanidi
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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16
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Quah JX, Dharmaprani D, Tiver K, Lahiri A, Hecker T, Perry R, Selvanayagam JB, Joseph MX, McGavigan A, Ganesan A. Atrial fibrosis and substrate based characterization in atrial fibrillation: Time to move forwards. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2021; 32:1147-1160. [PMID: 33682258 DOI: 10.1111/jce.14987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice. However, current therapeutic interventions for atrial fibrillation have limited clinical efficacy as a consequence of major knowledge gaps in the mechanisms sustaining atrial fibrillation. From a mechanistic perspective, there is increasing evidence that atrial fibrosis plays a central role in the maintenance and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation. Electrophysiologically, atrial fibrosis results in alterations in conduction velocity, cellular refractoriness, and produces conduction block promoting meandering, unstable wavelets and micro-reentrant circuits. Clinically, atrial fibrosis has also linked to poor clinical outcomes including AF-related thromboembolic complications and arrhythmia recurrences post catheter ablation. In this article, we review the pathophysiology behind the formation of fibrosis as AF progresses, the role of fibrosis in arrhythmogenesis, surrogate markers for detection of fibrosis using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography and electroanatomic mapping, along with their respective limitations. We then proceed to review the current evidence behind therapeutic interventions targeting atrial fibrosis, including drugs and substrate-based catheter ablation therapies followed by the potential future use of electro phenotyping for AF characterization to overcome the limitations of contemporary substrate-based methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing X Quah
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dhani Dharmaprani
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kathryn Tiver
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Anandaroop Lahiri
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Teresa Hecker
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Rebecca Perry
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia.,UniSA Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Majo X Joseph
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Anand Ganesan
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, Australia
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17
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Marrouche NF, Greene T, Dean JM, Kholmovski EG, Boer LMD, Mansour M, Calkins H, Marchlinski F, Wilber D, Hindricks G, Mahnkopf C, Jais P, Sanders P, Brachmann J, Bax J, Dagher L, Wazni O, Akoum N. Efficacy of LGE-MRI-guided fibrosis ablation versus conventional catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: The DECAAF II trial: Study design. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2021; 32:916-924. [PMID: 33600025 DOI: 10.1111/jce.14957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Success rates of catheter ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remain suboptimal. A better and more targeted ablation strategy is urgently needed to optimize outcomes of AF treatment. We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of targeting atrial fibrosis during ablation of persistent AF patients in improving procedural outcomes. METHODS The DECAAF II trial (ClinicalTrials. gov identifier number NCT02529319) is a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial of patients with persistent AF. Patients with persistent AF undergoing a first-time ablation procedure were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to receive conventional pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation (Group 1) or PVI + fibrosis-guided ablation (Group 2). Left atrial fibrosis and ablation induced scarring were defined by late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and at 3-12 months postablation, respectively. The primary endpoint is the recurrence of atrial arrhythmia postablation, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia after the 90-day postablation blanking period. Patients were followed for a period of 12-18 months with a smartphone ECG Device (ECG Check Device, Cardiac Designs Inc.). With an anticipated enrollment of 900 patients, this study has an 80% power to detect a 26% reduction in the hazard ratio of the primary endpoint. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The DECAAF II trial is the first prospective, randomized, multicenter trial of patients with persistent AF using imaging defined atrial fibrosis as a treatment target. The trial will help define an optimal approach to catheter ablation of persistent AF, further our understanding of influencers of ablation lesion formation, and refine selection criteria for ablation based on atrial myopathy burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nassir F Marrouche
- Department of Cardiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Tom Greene
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | | | | | - Moussa Mansour
- Department of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hugh Calkins
- Department of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Francis Marchlinski
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David Wilber
- Department of Cardiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Pierre Jais
- Department of Cardiology, Segalen University, Bordeaux, France
| | - Prashanthan Sanders
- Department of Cardiology, Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Jereon Bax
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lilas Dagher
- Department of Cardiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Oussama Wazni
- Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Nazem Akoum
- Department of Cardiology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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18
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Yakabe D, Fukuyama Y, Araki M, Nakamura T. Responsiveness to bepridil predicts atrial substrate in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. J Arrhythm 2021; 37:79-87. [PMID: 33664889 PMCID: PMC7896463 DOI: 10.1002/joa3.12492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The low voltage zone (LVZ) detected with three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping is a surrogate marker of atrial scar in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes after catheter ablation. However, fewer studies have reported the relationship between responsiveness to antiarrhythmic drugs and the LVZ. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 76 patients who underwent catheter ablation for PeAF at our center. Rhythm control with bepridil was initiated before ablation in all patients, and electrical cardioversion was performed in cases of failure to restore sinus rhythm with bepridil alone. Patients with successful sinus restoration with bepridil alone (≤200 mg/d) were defined as "responders", while those who required electrical cardioversion as well were defined as "non-responders". We compared the LVZ ratio (ratio of the LVZ surface area to the left atrium surface area on three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping) and the recurrence-free rate after ablation between the two groups. RESULTS Of the 76 patients, 48 (63.2%) were responders to bepridil. The median LVZ ratio was significantly lower in the responder group than in the nonresponder group (7.5% vs 14.0%, P = .009). Multivariate analysis revealed that response to bepridil was an independent predictor of normal voltage (P = .02, odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.76). The recurrence-free rate at 1 year after catheter ablation was significantly higher in the responder group than in the nonresponder group (87.1% vs 62.3%, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS Response to bepridil is a marker of normal voltage in electroanatomical mapping and is significantly associated with better clinical outcomes after catheter ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Yakabe
- Department of CardiologyClinical Research InstituteNational Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical CenterFukuoka CityJapan
| | - Yusuke Fukuyama
- Department of CardiologyClinical Research InstituteNational Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical CenterFukuoka CityJapan
| | - Masahiro Araki
- Department of CardiologyClinical Research InstituteNational Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical CenterFukuoka CityJapan
| | - Toshihiro Nakamura
- Department of CardiologyClinical Research InstituteNational Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical CenterFukuoka CityJapan
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19
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Al-Kaisey AM, Parameswaran R, Kalman JM. Atrial Fibrillation Structural Substrates: Aetiology, Identification and Implications. Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev 2020; 9:113-120. [PMID: 33240506 PMCID: PMC7675137 DOI: 10.15420/aer.2020.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Atrial remodelling in AF underlines the electrical, structural and mechanical changes in the atria of patients with AF. Several risk factors for AF contribute to the development of the atrial substrate, with some evidence that atrial remodelling reversal is possible with targeted intervention. In this article, the authors review the electrophysiological changes that characterise the atrial substrate in patients with AF risk factors. They also discuss the pitfalls of mapping the atrial substrate and the implications for developing tailored ablation strategies to improve outcomes in patients with AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Al-Kaisey
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ramanathan Parameswaran
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan M Kalman
- Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Hojo R, Fukamizu S, Tokioka S, Inagaki D, Kimura T, Takahashi M, Kitamura T, Sakurada H, Hiraoka M. The coronary artery calcium score correlates with left atrial low-voltage area: Sex differences. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2020; 32:41-48. [PMID: 33206418 DOI: 10.1111/jce.14822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In patients with coronary artery disease, a high coronary artery calcium score (CACS) correlates with atrial fibrillation (AF); however, the association between left atrial (LA) remodeling progression and coronary arteriosclerosis is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between LA remodeling progression and the CACS. METHODS This retrospective study enrolled 148 patients with AF (paroxysmal AF, n = 94) who underwent catheter ablation. Voltage mapping for the left atrium and coronary computed tomography for CACS calculations were performed. The ratio of the LA low-voltage area (LA-LVA), defined by values less than 0.5 mV divided by the total LA surface without pulmonary veins, was calculated. Patients with LA-LVA (<0.5 mV) >5% and ≤5% were classified as the LVA (n = 30) and non-LVA (n = 118) groups, respectively. Patient characteristics and CACS values were compared between the two groups. RESULTS LA volume, age, CHA2 DS2 VASc score, and percentage of female patients were significantly higher, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was lower in the LVA group than in the non-LVA group. The CACS was significantly higher in the LVA group (248.4 vs. 13.2; p = .001). Multivariate analysis identified the LA volume index and CACS as independent predictors of LA-LVA (<0.5 mV) greater than 5%. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting LA-LVA (<0.5 mV) greater than 5% with CACS were 0.695 in the entire population, 0.782 in men, and 0.587 in women. CONCLUSION Progression of LA remodeling and coronary artery calcification may occur in parallel. A high CACS may indicate advanced LA remodeling, especially in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rintaro Hojo
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiji Fukamizu
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sayuri Tokioka
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dai Inagaki
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Kimura
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masao Takahashi
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kitamura
- Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Harumizu Sakurada
- Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Treatment Corporation Ohkubo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Schöppenthau D, Schatka I, Berger A, Pieske B, Hahn K, Knebel F, Kleefeld F, Alexander T, Gerds-Li JH, Messroghli D. Isolated atrial amyloidosis suspected by electrophysiological voltage mapping and diagnosed by 99m Tc-DPD scintigraphy. ESC Heart Fail 2020; 7:4305-4310. [PMID: 33012122 PMCID: PMC7754968 DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We present not‐yet‐seen multimodal images of a 55‐year‐old female patient with isolated atrial amyloidosis (IAA) who clinically suffered from multiple atrial arrhythmias and heart failure symptoms with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. We aim to show structural and functional abnormalities detected by electrophysiological voltage mapping, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [cMRI; atrial strain measurements, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) visualization], and 99mTc‐DPD scintigraphy. Bipolar voltage mapping performed during two electrophysiological procedures showed diffuse left atrial low‐voltage areas (bipolar < 0.5 mV) and also a moderately diseased right atrium suspected of infiltrative cardiomyopathy. Catheter ablation did successfully treat a left atrial and two right atrial focal tachycardias. For further diagnostics, a 3T cMRI was performed, revealing a subendocardial circumferential left atrial LGE and pathological atrial strain measurements, especially during conduit and reservoir phase. Afterwards, nuclear imaging with 559 MBq of 99mTc‐DPD was performed. The scan revealed amyloid infiltration of the left atrium. Neither an uptake in the ventricular myocardium nor an extra‐cardiac uptake of DPD was seen. Genetic testing for transthyretin amyloidosis mutations in this patient was negative, and peripheral neuropathy was ruled out by electromyogram analysis. The synopsis of these findings reveals IAA as the most possible diagnosis and showed isolated atrial nuclear tracer uptake with 99mTc‐DPD scintigraphy for the first time. Non‐invasive imaging techniques might help in suggesting IAA but need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Schöppenthau
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, German Heart Center Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Imke Schatka
- Center for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Virchow, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany
| | - Alexander Berger
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, German Heart Center Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany
| | - Burkert Pieske
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, German Heart Center Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathrin Hahn
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Fabian Knebel
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Felix Kleefeld
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Tobias Alexander
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany
| | - Jin-Hong Gerds-Li
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, German Heart Center Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany
| | - Daniel Messroghli
- Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, German Heart Center Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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22
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Nery PB, Alqarawi W, Nair GM, Sadek MM, Redpath CJ, Golian M, Al Dawood W, Chen L, Hansom SP, Klein A, Wells GA, Birnie DH. Catheter Ablation of Low-Voltage Areas for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Procedural Outcomes Using High-Density Voltage Mapping. Can J Cardiol 2020; 36:1956-1964. [PMID: 32738208 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2020.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several approaches have been proposed to address the challenge of catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the optimal ablation strategy is unknown. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) plus low-voltage area (LVA) ablation using contemporary high-density mapping to identify LVA in patients with persistent AF. METHODS Consecutive patients accepted for AF catheter ablation were studied. High-density bipolar voltage mapping data were acquired in sinus rhythm using multipolar catheters to detect LVA (defined as bipolar voltage < 0.5 mV). Semiautomated impedance-based software was used to ensure catheter contact during data collection. Patients underwent PVI + LVA ablation (if LVA present). RESULTS A total of 145 patients were studied; 95 patients undergoing PVI + LVA ablation were compared with 50 controls treated with PVI only. Average age was 61 ± 10 years, and 80% were male. Baseline characteristics were comparable. Freedom from atrial tachycardia/AF at 18 months was 72% after PVI + LVA ablation vs 58% in controls (P = 0.022). Median procedure duration (273 [240, 342] vs 305 [262, 360] minutes; P = 0.019) and radiofrequency delivery (50 [43, 63] vs 55 [35, 68] minutes; P = 0.39) were longer in the PVI + LVA ablation group. Multivariable analysis showed that the ablation strategy (PVI + LVA) was the only independent predictor of freedom from atrial tachycardia/AF (hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.96; P = 0.036). There were no adverse safety outcomes associated with LVA ablation. CONCLUSIONS An individualized strategy of high-density mapping to assess the atrial substrate followed by PVI combined with LVA ablation is associated with improved outcomes. Adequately powered randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the role of PVI + LVA ablation for persistent AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo B Nery
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Wael Alqarawi
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Girish M Nair
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mouhannad M Sadek
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Calum J Redpath
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mehrdad Golian
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wafa Al Dawood
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Li Chen
- Cardiovascular Research Methods Center, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simon P Hansom
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andres Klein
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - George A Wells
- Cardiovascular Research Methods Center, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David H Birnie
- Arrhythmia Service, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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23
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Darlington A, McCauley MD. Atrial Cardiomyopathy: An Unexplored Limb of Virchow's Triad for AF Stroke Prophylaxis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2020; 7:11. [PMID: 32133372 PMCID: PMC7039862 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2020.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The most dreaded complication of atrial fibrillation is stroke, and 70–80% of patients with AF-related stroke die or become disabled. The mechanisms of thromboembolism in AF are multifactorial, with evidence demonstrating that all three criteria of Virchow's triad are satisfied in AF: abnormal stasis of blood, endothelial damage, and hypercoagulability. Mechanistic insights into the latter two limbs have resulted in effective stroke prophylactic therapies (left atrial appendage occlusion and oral anticoagulants); however, despite these advances, there remains an excess of stroke in the AF population that may be due, in part, to a lack of mechanistic understanding of atrial hypocontractility resulting in abnormal stasis of blood within the atrium. These observations support the emerging concept of atrial cardiomyopathy as a cause of stroke. In this Review, we evaluate molecular, translational, and clinical evidence for atrial cardiomyopathy as a cause for stroke from AF, and present a rationale for further investigation of this largely unaddressed limb of Virchow's triad in AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Darlington
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mark D McCauley
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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24
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Terricabras M, Verma A. Is pulmonary vein isolation enough for persistent atrial fibrillation? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2020; 31:2148-2153. [PMID: 32022320 DOI: 10.1111/jce.14381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a well-established treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF); however, studies report suboptimal outcomes in persistent AF. Adjuvant ablation targeting the substrate outside the pulmonary veins has been proposed to improve the success rates of the procedure. In this review, we summarize the current evidence regarding additional ablation over PVI in persistent AF. We describe the different approaches for adjuvant ablation, outcomes, and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Terricabras
- Southlake Regional Health Centre, University of Toronto, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
| | - Atul Verma
- Southlake Regional Health Centre, University of Toronto, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Kottkamp H, Hindricks G, Pönisch C, Bertagnolli L, Moser F, Hilbert S, Rieger A, Sommer P. Global multielectrode contact‐mapping plus ablation with a single catheter in patients with atrial fibrillation: Global AF study. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019; 30:2248-2255. [DOI: 10.1111/jce.14172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Kottkamp
- Department of Electrophysiology Hirslanden Hospital Zurich Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Hindricks
- Department of Electrophysiology Heart Center Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Christian Pönisch
- Department of Electrophysiology Hirslanden Hospital Zurich Switzerland
| | - Livio Bertagnolli
- Department of Electrophysiology Heart Center Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Fabian Moser
- Department of Electrophysiology Hirslanden Hospital Zurich Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Hilbert
- Department of Electrophysiology Heart Center Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Andreas Rieger
- Department of Electrophysiology Hirslanden Hospital Zurich Switzerland
| | - Philipp Sommer
- Department of Electrophysiology Heart Center Leipzig Leipzig Germany
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26
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Kottkamp H. On the Atrial Fibrillation Substrate: From the "Unknown Species" to Deeper Insights Into Pathophysiology. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019; 74:1348-1351. [PMID: 31488272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2019.06.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Kottkamp
- Department of Electrophysiology, Hirslanden Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
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27
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Herczeg S, Walsh K, Keaney JJ, Keelan E, Travers J, Szeplaki G, Galvin J. Quantitative assessment of left atrial scar using high-density voltage mapping and a novel automated voltage analysis tool. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2019; 59:5-12. [PMID: 31165967 DOI: 10.1007/s10840-019-00570-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Left atrial (LA) fibrosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). It may be identified by bipolar voltage (BiV) mapping, but quantification of fibrosis which previously relied on visual estimation of scar has been shown to be inaccurate. Our aim was to use a novel automated voltage histogram analysis (VHA) tool to quantify LA scar burden accurately in patients with AF. METHODS LA voltage was assessed in 100 consecutive patients undergoing first pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal or persistent AF using a circular multielectrode catheter to create high-density LA BiV maps which were analysed using the VHA tool after the procedure. RESULTS High-density electro-anatomic maps took 10 min to create and contained a median of 1049 points. The VHA algorithm accurately quantified the burden of Diseased LA Tissue (≤ 0.5 mV) and Dense LA Scar (≤ 0.2 mV) with a median of 17.8% and 3.5% respectively. A quartile classification was applied based on diseased LA tissue burden. Patients in class IV with the highest diseased LA burden were older (p < 0.0001), more likely female (p = 0.0095), had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (p = 0.0024) and were more likely to have persistent rather than paroxysmal AF (p = 0.0179) than those in classes I-III. CONCLUSIONS The VHA algorithm is able to quantify percentage surface area voltage rapidly and according to preset ranges for the first time. The algorithm offers the potential for classification of patients undergoing AF ablation into different classes of diseased LA burden, which may have diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia Herczeg
- Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 68 Varosmajor Street, Budapest, 1122, Hungary
| | - Katie Walsh
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland
| | - John J Keaney
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland
| | - Edward Keelan
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland
| | - John Travers
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland
| | - Gabor Szeplaki
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland
| | - Joseph Galvin
- Heart and Vascular Centre, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
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28
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Left atrial voltage mapping: defining and targeting the atrial fibrillation substrate. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2019; 56:213-227. [PMID: 31076965 PMCID: PMC6900285 DOI: 10.1007/s10840-019-00537-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Low atrial endocardial bipolar voltage, measured during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), is a commonly used surrogate marker for the presence of atrial fibrosis. Low voltage shows many useful associations with clinical outcomes, comorbidities and has links to trigger sites for AF. Several contemporary trials have shown promise in targeting low voltage areas as the substrate for AF ablation; however, the results have been mixed. In order to understand these results, a thorough understanding of voltage mapping techniques, the relationship between low voltage and the pathophysiology of AF, as well as the inherent limitations in voltage measurement are needed. Two key questions must be answered in order to optimally apply voltage mapping as the road map for ablation. First, are the inherent limitations of voltage mapping small enough as to be ignored when targeting specific tissue based on voltage? Second, can conventional criteria, using a binary threshold for voltage amplitude, truly define the extent of the atrial fibrotic substrate? Here, we review the latest clinical evidence with regard to voltage-based ablation procedures before analysing the utility and limitations of voltage mapping. Finally, we discuss omnipole mapping and dynamic voltage attenuation as two possible approaches to resolving these issues.
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29
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Gramlich M, Maleck C, Marquardt J, Duckheim M, Stimpfle F, Heinzmann D, Scheckenbach C, Gawaz M, Schreieck J, Seizer P. Cryoballoon ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation in patients without left atrial fibrosis. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019; 30:999-1004. [PMID: 30938897 DOI: 10.1111/jce.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The role of cryoballoon (CB) pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is controversial, since long-term success can be poor. We performed left atrial voltage mapping before CB PVI and determined AF-free survival depending on the extent of low-voltage areas (LVAs). METHODS AND RESULTS We consecutively enrolled 60 patients with persistent AF (average age, 60.6 ± 12.9 years; CHA2 DS 2 VASc score, 2.3 ± 1.6; and left atrial size 46.0 ± 5.2 mm) who were planned for CB PVI. Before ablation, we performed left atrial voltage mapping (Abbott EnSite Precision or Velocity). LVAs were defined if local bipolar signal amplitudes were less than 0.5 mV during sinus rhythm. Thirty-seven patients did not show significant LVAs (<10%), while 12 patients had LVAs between 10% and 30% and 11 patients showed substantial LVAs greater than 30% of the left atrial area. CB PVI could be successfully performed in all patients. A 7-day holter monitoring was obtained 3, 6, and 12 months after ablation. After a 12-month follow-up time, 83.8% of patients without LVAs (<10%) were free of atrial fibrillation, while 50.0% of patients with 10% to 30% LVAs and 9.1% of patients with LVAs more than 30% had stable sinus rhythm. The degree of atrial fibrosis correlated with the risk of AF recurrence. CONCLUSION In patients with persistent AF undergoing CB PVI, the extent of left atrial LVAs predicts an AF-free survival. CB PVI seems to be a highly effective treatment for patients with persistent AF without atrial fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gramlich
- Department of Invasive Electrophysiology, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Carole Maleck
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Martin Duckheim
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fabian Stimpfle
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - David Heinzmann
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Scheckenbach
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Meinrad Gawaz
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schreieck
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Seizer
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
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30
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Touch-up and recurrence rates after voltage mapping for verification of pulmonary vein isolation following cryoablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2019; 56:307-312. [PMID: 30941631 DOI: 10.1007/s10840-019-00533-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The procedural endpoint following cryoballoon ablation (CA) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), which is typically confirmed by entrance/exit block using a circular mapping catheter. The present study added an assessment of ablation gaps with high-density voltage mapping after standard confirmation of PVI. Relationships between the need for touch-up ablation, patient characteristics, and atrial arrhythmia recurrence were explored. METHODS PAF patients received CA through standard of care treatment, with PVI assessed by bidirectional block confirmation, followed by voltage mapping. Radiofrequency ablation was performed as needed for voltage breakthrough and or additional rhythms. Freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence through 12-month follow-up was analyzed retrospectively with statistical survival models. RESULTS A total of 77 PAF patients (age 66.1 ± 11.6, CHADS2 1.8 ± 1.0) were followed for 1.2 ± 0.3 years after CA. During the index procedure, pulmonary vein (PV) touch-up was required in 59 patients (76.6%) and ablation of additional atrial fibrillation targets beyond PV was required in 26 patients (33.8%). Kaplan-Meier estimates of freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence at 1 year were 62 ± 6%. Rates were lower for patients requiring touch-up ablation (58 ± 6% vs. 78 ± 10%) or with CHADS2 scores > 2 (33 ± 12% vs. 69 ± 6%). Cox regression models showed that the need for touch-up ablation increased recurrence (p = .045, HR = 2.6) after adjusting for hypertension and heart failure. CONCLUSION The high rate of PV touch-up suggests that initial CA lesions may be less durable than previously assumed, while the higher recurrence rate in patients requiring touch-up may indicate that additional factors make these patients more difficult to treat.
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31
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Donal E, Galli E, Lederlin M, Martins R, Schnell F. Multimodality Imaging for Best Dealing With Patients in Atrial Arrhythmias. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2019; 12:2245-2261. [PMID: 30878420 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2018.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The management of atrial fibrillation (AF) is not only a clinical challenge but also an imaging challenge. The role of different imaging modalities to estimate the thromboembolic risk in AF is a key clinical question. The present review summarizes the advances of myocardial imaging in the stratification of thromboembolic risk, diagnosis, and management of left atrial thrombosis in patients with AF. These imaging techniques are also important for understanding arrhythmias and their consequences. It is becoming fundamental for guiding therapy. Still, large studies are required, but be sure that left atrial imaging will become more and more clinically fundamental.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwan Donal
- Service de Cardiologie, CIC-IT INSERM 1414, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France; Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l'Image, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, UMR 1099, Rennes, France.
| | - Elena Galli
- Service de Cardiologie, CIC-IT INSERM 1414, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France; Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l'Image, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, UMR 1099, Rennes, France
| | - Matthieu Lederlin
- Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l'Image, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, UMR 1099, Rennes, France; Service de Radiologie, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France
| | - Raphael Martins
- Service de Cardiologie, CIC-IT INSERM 1414, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France; Laboratoire Traitement du Signal et de l'Image, Université de Rennes 1, INSERM, UMR 1099, Rennes, France
| | - Frederic Schnell
- Service de Cardiologie, CIC-IT INSERM 1414, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France; Service de médecine du sport et laboratoire de physiologie, Université Rennes 1, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France
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32
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Yamaguchi T, Fukui A, Node K. Bipolar Voltage Mapping for the Evaluation of Atrial Substrate: Can We Overcome the Challenge of Directionality? J Atr Fibrillation 2019; 11:2116. [PMID: 31139298 PMCID: PMC6533827 DOI: 10.4022/jafib.2116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between atrial fibrosis and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been proven. Patient specific substrate ablation targeting fibrotic tissue estimated by bipolar voltage mapping has emerged as an alternative strategy for additional substrate modification beyond pulmonary vein isolation. The primary mechanism of a low-voltage electrogram has been suggested to be atrial fibrosis, however, no direct correlation between histological fibrosis and low-voltage zone has been confirmed. Furthermore, the definition of low-voltage zone is still controversial, and bipolar voltage amplitudes depend on multiple variables including electrodes orientation relative to direction of wavefront, electrode length, interelectrode spacing, and tissue contact. The aim of this article is to review the role and limitation of voltage mapping, and to share our initial experience of a newly released grid-pattern designed mapping catheter to make the voltage mapping more reliable to guide patient specific AF ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akira Fukui
- Department of Cardiovascular medicine, Saga University
| | - Koichi Node
- Department of Cardiovascular medicine, Saga University
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Hammwöhner M, Bukowska A, Mahardika W, Goette A. Clinical importance of atrial cardiomyopathy. Int J Cardiol 2018; 287:174-180. [PMID: 30527991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.11.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cause of thromboembolic complications. The risk of suffering a thromboembolic complication correlates with the CHA2DS2-VASc score identifying patients at increased risk. It is based on patient age, prior thromboembolic events, and clinical comorbidities, but not based on pathophysiological changes in different types of atrial cardiomyopathy (ACM) as classified in the expert consensus on ACM published in 2016. The impact of different types of ACM has also been acknowledged in the expert consensus statement on catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. The aim of this review is to review data on clinical importance of ACMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hammwöhner
- Working Group of Molecular Electrophysiology, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical Faculty, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Vincenz-Krankenhaus, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Alicia Bukowska
- Working Group of Molecular Electrophysiology, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical Faculty, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Wisnu Mahardika
- Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Vincenz-Krankenhaus, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Andreas Goette
- Working Group of Molecular Electrophysiology, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical Faculty, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Vincenz-Krankenhaus, Paderborn, Germany.
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34
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Cheniti G, Vlachos K, Pambrun T, Hooks D, Frontera A, Takigawa M, Bourier F, Kitamura T, Lam A, Martin C, Dumas-Pommier C, Puyo S, Pillois X, Duchateau J, Klotz N, Denis A, Derval N, Jais P, Cochet H, Hocini M, Haissaguerre M, Sacher F. Atrial Fibrillation Mechanisms and Implications for Catheter Ablation. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1458. [PMID: 30459630 PMCID: PMC6232922 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
AF is a heterogeneous rhythm disorder that is related to a wide spectrum of etiologies and has broad clinical presentations. Mechanisms underlying AF are complex and remain incompletely understood despite extensive research. They associate interactions between triggers, substrate and modulators including ionic and anatomic remodeling, genetic predisposition and neuro-humoral contributors. The pulmonary veins play a key role in the pathogenesis of AF and their isolation is associated to high rates of AF freedom in patients with paroxysmal AF. However, ablation of persistent AF remains less effective, mainly limited by the difficulty to identify the sources sustaining AF. Many theories were advanced to explain the perpetuation of this form of AF, ranging from a single localized focal and reentrant source to diffuse bi-atrial multiple wavelets. Translating these mechanisms to the clinical practice remains challenging and limited by the spatio-temporal resolution of the mapping techniques. AF is driven by focal or reentrant activities that are initially clustered in a relatively limited atrial surface then disseminate everywhere in both atria. Evidence for structural remodeling, mainly represented by atrial fibrosis suggests that reentrant activities using anatomical substrate are the key mechanism sustaining AF. These reentries can be endocardial, epicardial, and intramural which makes them less accessible for mapping and for ablation. Subsequently, early interventions before irreversible remodeling are of major importance. Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation remains the cornerstone of the treatment of AF, regardless of the AF form and of the AF duration. No ablation strategy consistently demonstrated superiority to pulmonary vein isolation in preventing long term recurrences of atrial arrhythmias. Further research that allows accurate identification of the mechanisms underlying AF and efficient ablation should improve the results of PsAF ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghassen Cheniti
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France.,Cardiology Department, Hopital Sahloul, Universite de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Konstantinos Vlachos
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Thomas Pambrun
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Darren Hooks
- Cardiology Department, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Antonio Frontera
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Masateru Takigawa
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Felix Bourier
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Takeshi Kitamura
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Anna Lam
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Claire Martin
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | | | - Stephane Puyo
- Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Xavier Pillois
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France
| | - Josselin Duchateau
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Nicolas Klotz
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Arnaud Denis
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Nicolas Derval
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Pierre Jais
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Hubert Cochet
- Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France.,Department of Cardiovascular Imaging, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France
| | - Meleze Hocini
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Michel Haissaguerre
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
| | - Frederic Sacher
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Hopital Haut Leveque, Bordeaux, France.,Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (LIRYC), Bordeaux University, Pessac, France
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Mapping of atrial fibrillation: strategies to understand an enigmatic arrhythmia. Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol 2018; 29:307-314. [PMID: 30215110 DOI: 10.1007/s00399-018-0586-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The three-dimensional (3D) mapping of cardiac arrhythmias has evolved in recent years to an important and extremely useful tool, providing important insights into arrhythmia mechanisms and thus improving ablation success rates, especially in complex arrhythmias. In atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common but also one of the most complex cardiac arrhythmias, progress in mapping technology has been focusing on several aspects according to the type of AF.In paroxysmal AF, important progress in the exact anatomic reconstruction of the main ablation target, i.e., the pulmonary veins (PV), has been achieved. Perhaps even more importantly, new insights into conduction patterns, such as deceleration at the PV ostia, spiral conduction more distally into the PV, and PV cross-talk have been detected and enable faster and more sustainable PV isolation.In persistent AF, the basic understanding of ongoing AF is perhaps the electrophysiological challenge of the 21st century. Since AF is instable in its course, mapping tools that assess statistically returning patterns or deal with so-called AF "rotors" or "drivers" have been developed, offering unique insights into possible AF mechanisms. Refined high-density bi-atrial voltage maps make it possible to further characterize the arrhythmogenic substrate and scar zones, while new and innovative mapping algorithms enable automated, fast, and reliable annotation of up to thousands of electrograms.This improved understanding of AF mechanisms has led to the development of promising new ablation strategies, some of which are already in use in clinical routine.
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Prabhu S, Kalla M, Peck KY, Voskoboinik A, McLellan AJ, Pathik B, Nalliah CJ, Wong GR, Sugumar H, Azzopardi SM, Lee G, Ling LH, Kalman JM, Kistler PM. Pulmonary vein activity does not predict the outcome of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: A long-term multicenter prospective study. Heart Rhythm 2018; 15:980-986. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2018.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Yamaguchi T, Tsuchiya T, Fukui A, Kawano Y, Otsubo T, Takahashi Y, Hirota K, Murotani K, Eshima K, Takahashi N. Impact of the extent of low-voltage zone on outcomes after voltage-based catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation. J Cardiol 2018; 72:427-433. [PMID: 29807864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2018.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low-voltage zones (LVZs), as measured by electroanatomic mapping, are thought to be associated with fibrosis. We reported the efficacy of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation aiming to homogenize left atrial (LA) LVZ. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of LVZ extension outcomes after LVZ homogenization in patients with nonparoxysmal AF. METHODS This prospective observational cohort study included 172 patients with nonparoxysmal AF undergoing their initial ablation. LVZ was defined as an area with bipolar electrograms <0.5mV during sinus rhythm. LVZ extent was calculated as the percentage of LA surface area, and subsequently, LVZ was categorized into stages I (<5%), II (≥5% to <20%), III (≥20% to <30%), and IV (≥30%). Patients with LVZs underwent LVZ ablation aimed at homogenization of ≥80% of LVZs following pulmonary vein isolation. The primary endpoint was atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence-free survival after a single procedure at 18 months off antiarrhythmic drugs. The association of %LVZ with recurrence-free survival was examined using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS The survival rates were 76%, 74%, 57%, and 28% in patients with stages I, II, III, and IV LVZ, respectively. The difference was significant between stages I and IV (log-rank, p<0.001), while not significant between stages I vs. II and I vs. III (p=0.843, p=0.073, respectively). Cox proportional hazard model revealed that %LVZ was an independent predictor of recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.025 per 1% increase, p<0.001; unadjusted model). The results were similar after demographic and clinical covariate adjustments and after excluding 12 patients who did not achieve homogenization of ≥80% of LVZ. CONCLUSIONS The extent of LVZ is an independent predictor for recurrence even after LVZ homogenization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Yamaguchi
- Department of Cardiology, Saga-ken Medical Centre Koseikan, Saga, Japan; EP Expert Doctors-Team Tsuchiya, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | | | - Akira Fukui
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
| | - Yuki Kawano
- Department of Cardiology, Saga-ken Medical Centre Koseikan, Saga, Japan
| | | | | | - Kei Hirota
- EP Expert Doctors-Team Tsuchiya, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kenta Murotani
- Division of Biostatics, Clinical Research Center, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Kenichi Eshima
- Department of Cardiology, Saga-ken Medical Centre Koseikan, Saga, Japan
| | - Naohiko Takahashi
- Department of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan
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Grieco D, Palamà Z, Borrelli A, De Ruvo E, Sciarra L, Scarà A, Goanta E, Calabrese V, Pozzilli P, Di Sciascio G, Calò L. Diabetes mellitus and atrial remodelling in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Role of electroanatomical mapping and catheter ablation. Diab Vasc Dis Res 2018; 15:185-195. [PMID: 29338326 DOI: 10.1177/1479164117752492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) are related to atrial fibrosis, but their ablation has not yet shown superiority. The aim of the study was to compare, in terms of clinical outcome, two strategies of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM): pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) vs. PVI + CFAEs. Compared to an historical population of patient with paroxysmal AF and without DM, a higher percentage of patients with DM showed more than 25% of atrial area interested by CFAEs (study population, 58% vs historical group, 15%; p < 0.05). In PVI group, recurrences rate was similar in patients with HbA1c ⩽ 7.5% vs HbA1c > 7.5% (30% vs 22%; p = not significant), but a greater AF burden was observed in patients with HbA1c > 7.5% (6 ± 2 vs 1 ± 2; p < 0.05). In hazard ratios analysis PVI+CFAEs seems more effective than PVI alone in patients with HbA1c > 7.5% (hazard ratio, 1.28; p < 0.05), more than 25 years from DM diagnosis (hazard ratio, 1.25; p < 0.05) and more than five AF episodes/year (hazard ratio, 1.2; p < 0.05). Type 1 DM patients had complex atrial 'substrate', as documented by wider CFAEs areas. Despite this, 1-year follow-up recurrence rate was similar between two ablation approaches (PVI 27% vs. PVI+CFAEs 21%; p = not significant). In our study, only specific subgroups, like patients with disglycaemic state (HbA1c > 7.5%), long diabetes mellitus history and high AF burden, benefit from PVI+ CFAEs approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Luigi Sciarra
- 1 Cardiology Unit, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Scarà
- 1 Cardiology Unit, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy
| | - Emilia Goanta
- 2 Institutul De Boli Cardiovasculare Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Vito Calabrese
- 3 Cardiology Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Pozzilli
- 4 Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Leonardo Calò
- 1 Cardiology Unit, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy
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Moser F, Rieger A, Pönisch C, Kottkamp H. A novel ablation approach in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing fibrotic-based substrate modification: Targeting the Bachmann's bundle? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/jce.13486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Moser
- Department of Electrophysiology; Hirslanden Hospital; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Andreas Rieger
- Department of Electrophysiology; Hirslanden Hospital; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Christian Pönisch
- Department of Electrophysiology; Hirslanden Hospital; Zurich Switzerland
| | - Hans Kottkamp
- Department of Electrophysiology; Hirslanden Hospital; Zurich Switzerland
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40
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Stegmann C, Jahnke C, Paetsch I, Hilbert S, Arya A, Bollmann A, Hindricks G, Sommer P. Association of left ventricular late gadolinium enhancement with left atrial low voltage areas in patients with atrial fibrillation. Europace 2018; 20:1606-1611. [DOI: 10.1093/europace/euy013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Stegmann
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cosima Jahnke
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ingo Paetsch
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hilbert
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arash Arya
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Bollmann
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gerhard Hindricks
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Sommer
- Department of Electrophysiology, Heart Center – University of Leipzig, Strümpellstr. 39, Leipzig, Germany
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Zghaib T, Keramati A, Chrispin J, Huang D, Balouch MA, Ciuffo L, Berger RD, Marine JE, Ashikaga H, Calkins H, Nazarian S, Spragg DD. Multimodal Examination of Atrial Fibrillation Substrate: Correlation of Left Atrial Bipolar Voltage Using Multi-Electrode Fast Automated Mapping, Point-by-Point Mapping, and Magnetic Resonance Image Intensity Ratio. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2018; 4:59-68. [PMID: 29520376 PMCID: PMC5836739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2017.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Bipolar voltage mapping, as part of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, is traditionally performed in a point-by-point (PBP) approach using single-tip ablation catheters. Alternative techniques for fibrosis-delineation include fast-anatomical mapping (FAM) with multi-electrode circular catheters, and late gadolinium-enhanced magnetic-resonance imaging (LGE-MRI). The correlation between PBP, FAM, and LGE-MRI fibrosis assessment is unknown. Objective In this study, we examined AF substrate using different modalities (PBP, FAM, and LGE-MRI mapping) in patients presenting for an AF ablation. Methods LGE-MRI was performed pre-ablation in 26 patients (73% males, age 63±8years). Local image-intensity ratio (IIR) was used to normalize myocardial intensities. PBP- and FAM-voltage maps were acquired, in sinus rhythm, prior to ablation and co-registered to LGE-MRI. Results Mean bipolar voltage for all 19,087 FAM voltage points was 0.88±1.27mV and average IIR was 1.08±0.18. In an adjusted mixed-effects model, each unit increase in local IIR was associated with 57% decrease in bipolar voltage (p<0.0001). IIR of >0.74 corresponded to bipolar voltage <0.5 mV. A total of 1554 PBP-mapping points were matched to the nearest FAM-point. In an adjusted mixed-effects model, log-FAM bipolar voltage was significantly associated with log-PBP bipolar voltage (ß=0.36, p<0.0001). At low-voltages, FAM-mapping distribution was shifted to the left compared to PBP-mapping; at intermediate voltages, FAM and PBP voltages were overlapping; and at high voltages, FAM exceeded PBP-voltages. Conclusion LGE-MRI, FAM and PBP-mapping show good correlation in delineating electro-anatomical AF substrate. Each approach has fundamental technical characteristics, the awareness of which allows proper assessment of atrial fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Zghaib
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ali Keramati
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jonathan Chrispin
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Dong Huang
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Muhammad A. Balouch
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Luisa Ciuffo
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ronald D. Berger
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Joseph E. Marine
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Hiroshi Ashikaga
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Hugh Calkins
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Saman Nazarian
- Division of Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - David D. Spragg
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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Okamatsu H, Okumura K. Strategy and Outcome of Catheter Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation - Impact of Progress in the Mapping and Ablation Technologies. Circ J 2017; 82:2-9. [PMID: 29187667 DOI: 10.1253/circj.cj-17-1205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary vein (PV) antrum isolation (PVAI) is effective in treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) but is less so for persistent AF. A recent randomized study on the ablation strategies for persistent AF demonstrated that 2 common atrial substrate modifications, creation of linear lesions in the left atrium and ablation of complex fractionated electrogram sites, in addition to PVAI did not improve the outcome compared with stand-alone PVAI, suggesting the necessity of a more individualized, selective approach to persistent AF. There are emerging technologies, including high-resolution mapping with the use of multi-electrode catheter and auto mapping system and contact force (CF) guide ablation; the former allows rapid and accurate confirmation of the completeness of PVAI, and the latter enhances the achievement of durable ablation lesions more securely. Ablation for fibrotic area(s) has been proposed as a new approach for substrate modification, and high-resolution mapping is useful to define the area with low-voltage electrograms, a surrogate marker for atrial fibrosis. Ablation for non-PV triggers in addition to PVAI improves the outcome of persistent AF. Further, durable isolation of the left atrial posterior wall may reduce AF recurrence. These ablation strategies with concomitant use of the emerging technologies are strongly expected to enhance the effectiveness of catheter ablation for persistent AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideharu Okamatsu
- Division of Cardiology, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital Cardiovascular Center
| | - Ken Okumura
- Division of Cardiology, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital Cardiovascular Center
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43
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Moser F, Schreiber D, Rieger A, Trofin M, Pönisch C, Kottkamp H. Box Isolation of fibrotic areas: A substrate modification approach in atrial fibrillation patients. REVISTA PORTUGUESA DE CARDIOLOGIA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.repce.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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44
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Moser F, Schreiber D, Rieger A, Trofin M, Pönisch C, Kottkamp H. Box Isolation of fibrotic areas: A substrate modification approach in atrial fibrillation patients. Rev Port Cardiol 2017; 36 Suppl 1:25-27. [PMID: 29100747 DOI: 10.1016/j.repc.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last years, atrial fibrosis was shown to be an independent predictor of procedural failure in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. Ablation strategies have been developed to improve the outcome of catheter ablation by targeting detected areas of fibrosis, based either on endocardial voltage mapping or cardiac magnetic resonance. Box isolation of fibrotic areas (BIFA) is a new and promising patient-tailored ablation strategy for atrial fibrillation patients targeting substantial fibrotic areas by circumferential isolation of left atrial fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Moser
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Doreen Schreiber
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Rieger
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monica Trofin
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Pönisch
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans Kottkamp
- Hirslanden Hospital, Department of Electrophysiology, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Huang D, Li JB, Zghaib T, Gucuk Ipek E, Balouch M, Spragg DD, Ashikaga H, Tandri H, Sinha SK, Marine JE, Berger RD, Calkins H, Nazarian S. The Extent of Left Atrial Low-Voltage Areas Included in Pulmonary Vein Isolation Is Associated With Freedom from Recurrent Atrial Arrhythmia. Can J Cardiol 2017; 34:73-79. [PMID: 29275886 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extent of left atrial (LA) baseline low-voltage areas (LVA-B), which may be a surrogate for fibrosis, is associated with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the extent of LVA-B isolated by ablation (LVA-I) and AF recurrence. METHODS The study cohort included 159 consecutive patients with drug-refractory AF who underwent an initial AF ablation with LA voltage mapping during sinus rhythm. The extent of LVA-B was quantified while excluding the pulmonary veins, LA appendage, and mitral valve area. LVA-I was quantified as the percentage of LVA-B encircled by pulmonary vein isolation. Surveillance and symptom-prompted electrocardiograms, Holter monitors, and event monitors were used to document atrial arrhythmia recurrence for a median follow-up of 712 days (1.95 years). RESULTS Of 159 patients, 72% were men and 27% had persistent AF. The mean number of sampled bipolar voltage points was 119 ± 56. The mean LA surface area was 102.3 ± 37.3 cm2, and the mean LVA-B was 1.9 ± 3.8 cm2. The mean LVA-I was 51.05% ± 36.8% of LVA-B. In the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for LA volume, CHA2DS2-VASc (Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Age [≥ 75 years], Diabetes, Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack, Vascular Disease, Age [65-74 years], Sex [Female] score), LVA-B, and AF type, LVA-I was inversely associated with recurrent atrial arrhythmia after the blanking period (hazard ratio, 0.42/percent LVA isolated; P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS The extent of LVA-I is independently associated with freedom from atrial arrhythmias after AF ablation, supporting ongoing efforts to target low LA voltage areas and other fibrosis indicators to improve ablation outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Huang
- Heart Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China; Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jing-Bo Li
- Heart Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Tarek Zghaib
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Esra Gucuk Ipek
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Muhammad Balouch
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David D Spragg
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hiroshi Ashikaga
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harikrishna Tandri
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sunil K Sinha
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph E Marine
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ronald D Berger
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hugh Calkins
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Saman Nazarian
- Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Section for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Vlachos K, Efremidis M, Letsas KP, Bazoukis G, Martin R, Kalafateli M, Lioni L, Georgopoulos S, Saplaouras A, Efremidis T, Liu T, Valkanas K, Karamichalakis N, Asvestas D, Sideris A. Low-voltage areas detected by high-density electroanatomical mapping predict recurrence after ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2017; 28:1393-1402. [PMID: 28884923 DOI: 10.1111/jce.13321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We aimed to evaluate the extent of atrial fibrosis in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and the correlation with ablation outcomes after pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVΑI) using a mapping system with high-resolution and high-spatial sampling. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively enrolled 80 consecutive patients (45 males, median age 60.26 years) with symptomatic paroxysmal AF who were scheduled for PVAI. Prior to PVAI, high-density bipolar voltage mapping (median number of 2,485 points) was carried out during sinus rhythm in all patients. Criteria for an adequate left atrium (LA) shell were > 2,000 points. Each acquired point was classified according to the peak-to-peak bipolar voltage electrogram based on two criteria (criterion A: healthy > 0.8 mV, border zone: 0.4-0.8 mV and scarred: < 0.4 mV, criterion Β: healthy: > 0.5 mV, border zone: 0.25-0.5 mV and scarred: < 0.25 mV). The extent of low-voltage area < 0.4 mV significantly predicted atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence after the blanking period (P = 0.002). In univariate analysis, the presence of LA voltage areas < 0.4 mV more than 10% of the total surface area was the only significant predictor of arrhythmia recurrence. The analysis based on window B cutoff values failed to demonstrate any predictors of arrhythmia recurrence. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate that the existence of LA voltage areas < 0.4 mV more than 10% of the total LA surface area predicts arrhythmia recurrence following PVAI for paroxysmal AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Vlachos
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michael Efremidis
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos P Letsas
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Bazoukis
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Maria Kalafateli
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Louiza Lioni
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stamatis Georgopoulos
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Athanasios Saplaouras
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodore Efremidis
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Tong Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ionic-Molecular Function of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Kosmas Valkanas
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Karamichalakis
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Asvestas
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonios Sideris
- Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Second Department of Cardiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Therapeutic Approaches to Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Targeting Atrial Fibrosis. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2017; 3:643-653. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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