1
|
van Hunnik A, Sobota V, Zeemering S, Opacic D, Scaf B, D’Alessandro E, Oyaert K, Kuiper M, Diness JG, Sørensen US, Milnes JT, van der Heyden MAG, Jespersen T, Schotten U, Verheule S. Analysis of drug-induced and spontaneous cardioversions reveals similar patterns leading to termination of atrial fibrillation. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1399037. [PMID: 39092426 PMCID: PMC11291310 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1399037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The mechanisms leading to the conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm are poorly understood. This study describes the dynamic behavior of electrophysiological parameters and conduction patterns leading to spontaneous and pharmacological AF termination. Methods Five independent groups of goats were investigated: (1) spontaneous termination of AF, and drug-induced terminations of AF by various potassium channel inhibitors: (2) AP14145, (3) PA-6, (4) XAF-1407, and (5) vernakalant. Bi-atrial contact mapping was performed during an open chest surgery and intervals with continuous and discrete atrial activity were determined. AF cycle length (AFCL), conduction velocity and path length were calculated for each interval, and the final conduction pattern preceding AF termination was evaluated. Results AF termination was preceded by a sudden episode of discrete activity both in the presence and absence of an antiarrhythmic drug. This episode was accompanied by substantial increases in AFCL and conduction velocity, resulting in prolongation of path length. In 77% ± 4% of all terminations the conduction pattern preceding AF termination involved medial to lateral conduction along Bachmann's bundle into both atria, followed by anterior to posterior conduction. This finding suggests conduction block in the interatrial septum and/or pulmonary vein area as final step of AF termination. Conclusion AF termination is preceded by an increased organization of fibrillatory conduction. The termination itself is a sudden process with a critical role for the interplay between spatiotemporal organization and anatomical structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne van Hunnik
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Vladimír Sobota
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
- IHU-LIRYC, Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute, Fondation Bordeaux Université, Bordeaux, France
- Institute de Mathématiques de Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - Stef Zeemering
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Dragan Opacic
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Billy Scaf
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Elisa D’Alessandro
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Karel Oyaert
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Marion Kuiper
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Thomas Jespersen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrich Schotten
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Sander Verheule
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ayagama T, Charles PD, Bose SJ, Boland B, Priestman DA, Aston D, Berridge G, Fischer R, Cribbs AP, Song Q, Mirams GR, Amponsah K, Heather L, Galione A, Herring N, Kramer H, Capel RA, Platt FM, Schotten U, Verheule S, Burton RA. Compartmentalization proteomics revealed endolysosomal protein network changes in a goat model of atrial fibrillation. iScience 2024; 27:109609. [PMID: 38827406 PMCID: PMC11141153 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Endolysosomes (EL) are known for their role in regulating both intracellular trafficking and proteostasis. EL facilitate the elimination of damaged membranes, protein aggregates, membranous organelles and play an important role in calcium signaling. The specific role of EL in cardiac atrial fibrillation (AF) is not well understood. We isolated atrial EL organelles from AF goat biopsies and conducted a comprehensive integrated omics analysis to study the EL-specific proteins and pathways. We also performed electron tomography, protein and enzyme assays on these biopsies. Our results revealed the upregulation of the AMPK pathway and the expression of EL-specific proteins that were not found in whole tissue lysates, including GAA, DYNLRB1, CLTB, SIRT3, CCT2, and muscle-specific HSPB2. We also observed structural anomalies, such as autophagic-vacuole formation, irregularly shaped mitochondria, and glycogen deposition. Our results provide molecular information suggesting EL play a role in AF disease process over extended time frames.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thamali Ayagama
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Samuel J. Bose
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Barry Boland
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Daniel Aston
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Papworth Road, Cambridge CB2 0AY, UK
| | | | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam P. Cribbs
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Headington OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Qianqian Song
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gary R. Mirams
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Kwabena Amponsah
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Lisa Heather
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, , University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Antony Galione
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Neil Herring
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, , University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Holger Kramer
- Mass spectrometry Facility, The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | | | - Ulrich Schotten
- Departments of Physiology and Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Verheule
- Departments of Physiology and Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca A.B. Burton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- University of Liverpool, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Özgül O, Hermans BJ, van Hunnik A, Verheule S, Schotten U, Bonizzi P, Zeemering S. High-density and high coverage composite mapping of repetitive atrial activation patterns. Comput Biol Med 2023; 159:106920. [PMID: 37119551 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106920] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive atrial activation patterns (RAAPs) during atrial fibrillation (AF) may be associated with localized mechanisms that maintain AF. Current electro-anatomical mapping systems are unsuitable for analyzing RAAPs due to the trade-off between spatial coverage and electrode density in clinical catheters. This work proposes a technique to overcome this trade-off by constructing composite maps from spatially overlapping sequential recordings. METHODS High-density epicardial contact mapping was performed during open-chest surgery in goats (n=16, left and right atria) with 3 or 22 weeks of sustained AF (249-electrode array, electrode distance 2.4 mm). A dataset mimicking sequential recordings was generated by segmenting the grid into four spatially overlapping regions (each region 6.5 cm2, 48±10% overlap) without temporal overlap. RAAPs were detected in each region using recurrence plots of activation times. RAAPs in two different regions were joined in case of RAAP cross-recurrence between overlapping electrodes. We quantified the reconstruction success rate and quality of the composite maps. RESULTS Of 1021 RAAPs found in the full mapping array (32±13 per recording), 328 spatiotemporally stable RAAPs were analyzed. 247 composite maps were generated (75% success) with a quality of 0.86±0.21 (Pearson correlation). Success was significantly affected by the RAAP area. Quality was weakly correlated with the number of repetitions of RAAPs (r=0.13, p<0.05) and not affected by the atrial side (left or right) or AF duration (3 or 22 weeks of AF). CONCLUSIONS Constructing composite maps by combining spatially overlapping sequential recordings is feasible. Interpretation of these maps can play a central role in ablation planning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ozan Özgül
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ben Jm Hermans
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Arne van Hunnik
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Sander Verheule
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Schotten
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Pietro Bonizzi
- Department of Advanced Computing Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Stef Zeemering
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
van Rosmalen F, Maesen B, van Hunnik A, Hermans BJM, Bonizzi P, Bidar E, Nijs J, Maessen JG, Verheule S, Delhaas T, Schotten U, Zeemering S. Incidence, prevalence, and trajectories of repetitive conduction patterns in human atrial fibrillation. Europace 2021; 23:i123-i132. [PMID: 33751087 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euaa403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Repetitive conduction patterns in atrial fibrillation (AF) may reflect anatomical structures harbouring preferential conduction paths and indicate the presence of stationary sources for AF. Recently, we demonstrated a novel technique to detect repetitive patterns in high-density contact mapping of AF. As a first step towards repetitive pattern mapping to guide AF ablation, we determined the incidence, prevalence, and trajectories of repetitive conduction patterns in epicardial contact mapping of paroxysmal and persistent AF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS A 256-channel mapping array was used to record epicardial left and right AF electrograms in persistent AF (persAF, n = 9) and paroxysmal AF (pAF, n = 11) patients. Intervals containing repetitive conduction patterns were detected using recurrence plots. Activation movies, preferential conduction direction, and average activation sequence were used to characterize and classify conduction patterns. Repetitive patterns were identified in 33/40 recordings. Repetitive patterns were more prevalent in pAF compared with persAF [pAF: median 59%, inter-quartile range (41-72) vs. persAF: 39% (0-51), P < 0.01], larger [pAF: = 1.54 (1.15-1.96) vs. persAF: 1.16 (0.74-1.56) cm2, P < 0.001), and more stable [normalized preferentiality (0-1) pAF: 0.38 (0.25-0.50) vs. persAF: 0.23 (0-0.33), P < 0.01]. Most repetitive patterns were peripheral waves (87%), often with conduction block (69%), while breakthroughs (9%) and re-entries (2%) occurred less frequently. CONCLUSION High-density epicardial contact mapping in AF patients reveals frequent repetitive conduction patterns. In persistent AF patients, repetitive patterns were less frequent, smaller, and more variable than in paroxysmal AF patients. Future research should elucidate whether these patterns can help in finding AF ablation targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank van Rosmalen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Maesen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Maastricht University, Medical Center & Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Arne van Hunnik
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ben J M Hermans
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Pietro Bonizzi
- Department of Data Science and Knowledge Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Elham Bidar
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Maastricht University, Medical Center & Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Nijs
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jos G Maessen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Maastricht University, Medical Center & Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Verheule
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Tammo Delhaas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Schotten
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stef Zeemering
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Salinet J, Molero R, Schlindwein FS, Karel J, Rodrigo M, Rojo-Álvarez JL, Berenfeld O, Climent AM, Zenger B, Vanheusden F, Paredes JGS, MacLeod R, Atienza F, Guillem MS, Cluitmans M, Bonizzi P. Electrocardiographic Imaging for Atrial Fibrillation: A Perspective From Computer Models and Animal Experiments to Clinical Value. Front Physiol 2021; 12:653013. [PMID: 33995122 PMCID: PMC8120164 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.653013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) is a technique to reconstruct non-invasively the electrical activity on the heart surface from body-surface potential recordings and geometric information of the torso and the heart. ECGI has shown scientific and clinical value when used to characterize and treat both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Regarding atrial fibrillation (AF), the characterization of the electrical propagation and the underlying substrate favoring AF is inherently more challenging than for ventricular arrhythmias, due to the progressive and heterogeneous nature of the disease and its manifestation, the small volume and wall thickness of the atria, and the relatively large role of microstructural abnormalities in AF. At the same time, ECGI has the advantage over other mapping technologies of allowing a global characterization of atrial electrical activity at every atrial beat and non-invasively. However, since ECGI is time-consuming and costly and the use of electrical mapping to guide AF ablation is still not fully established, the clinical value of ECGI for AF is still under assessment. Nonetheless, AF is known to be the manifestation of a complex interaction between electrical and structural abnormalities and therefore, true electro-anatomical-structural imaging may elucidate important key factors of AF development, progression, and treatment. Therefore, it is paramount to identify which clinical questions could be successfully addressed by ECGI when it comes to AF characterization and treatment, and which questions may be beyond its technical limitations. In this manuscript we review the questions that researchers have tried to address on the use of ECGI for AF characterization and treatment guidance (for example, localization of AF triggers and sustaining mechanisms), and we discuss the technological requirements and validation. We address experimental and clinical results, limitations, and future challenges for fruitful application of ECGI for AF understanding and management. We pay attention to existing techniques and clinical application, to computer models and (animal or human) experiments, to challenges of methodological and clinical validation. The overall objective of the study is to provide a consensus on valuable directions that ECGI research may take to provide future improvements in AF characterization and treatment guidance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- João Salinet
- Biomedical Engineering, Centre for Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Rubén Molero
- ITACA Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Fernando S. Schlindwein
- School of Engineering, University of Leicester, United Kingdom and National Institute for Health Research, Leicester Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Centre, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Joël Karel
- Department of Data Science and Knowledge Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Miguel Rodrigo
- Electronic Engineering Department, Universitat de València, València, Spain
| | - José Luis Rojo-Álvarez
- Department of Signal Theory and Communications and Telematic Systems and Computation, University Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Omer Berenfeld
- Center for Arrhythmia Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Andreu M. Climent
- ITACA Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Brian Zenger
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute (SCI), and Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Frederique Vanheusden
- Department of Engineering, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jimena Gabriela Siles Paredes
- Biomedical Engineering, Centre for Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Rob MacLeod
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute (SCI), and Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI), The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Felipe Atienza
- Cardiology Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, and Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María S. Guillem
- ITACA Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Matthijs Cluitmans
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Pietro Bonizzi
- Department of Data Science and Knowledge Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Soattin L, Borbas Z, Caldwell J, Prendergast B, Vohra A, Saeed Y, Hoschtitzky A, Yanni J, Atkinson A, Logantha SJ, Borbas B, Garratt C, Morris GM, Dobrzynski H. Structural and Functional Properties of Subsidiary Atrial Pacemakers in a Goat Model of Sinus Node Disease. Front Physiol 2021; 12:592229. [PMID: 33746765 PMCID: PMC7969524 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.592229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The sinoatrial/sinus node (SAN) is the primary pacemaker of the heart. In humans, SAN is surrounded by the paranodal area (PNA). Although the PNA function remains debated, it is thought to act as a subsidiary atrial pacemaker (SAP) tissue and become the dominant pacemaker in the setting of sinus node disease (SND). Large animal models of SND allow characterization of SAP, which might be a target for novel treatment strategies for SAN diseases. Methods A goat model of SND was developed (n = 10) by epicardially ablating the SAN and validated by mapping of emergent SAP locations through an ablation catheter and surface electrocardiogram (ECG). Structural characterization of the goat SAN and SAP was assessed by histology and immunofluorescence techniques. Results When the SAN was ablated, SAPs featured a shortened atrioventricular conduction, consistent with the location in proximity of atrioventricular junction. SAP recovery time showed significant prolongation compared to the SAN recovery time, followed by a decrease over a follow-up of 4 weeks. Like the SAN tissue, the SAP expressed the main isoform of pacemaker hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4 (HCN4) and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1) and no high conductance connexin 43 (Cx43). Structural characterization of the right atrium (RA) revealed that the SAN was located at the earliest activation [i.e., at the junction of the superior vena cava (SVC) with the RA] and was surrounded by the paranodal-like tissue, extending down to the inferior vena cava (IVC). Emerged SAPs were localized close to the IVC and within the thick band of the atrial muscle known as the crista terminalis (CT). Conclusions SAN ablation resulted in the generation of chronic SAP activity in 60% of treated animals. SAP displayed development over time and was located within the previously discovered PNA in humans, suggesting its role as dominant pacemaker in SND. Therefore, SAP in goat constitutes a promising stable target for electrophysiological modification to construct a fully functioning pacemaker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Soattin
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Zoltan Borbas
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Caldwell
- Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Hull University Teaching Hospitals, Hull, United Kingdom.,Hull York Medical School, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Brian Prendergast
- Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Akbar Vohra
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Yawer Saeed
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Andreas Hoschtitzky
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease Unit, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Yanni
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Atkinson
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sunil Jit Logantha
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Balint Borbas
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Clifford Garratt
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Gwilym Matthew Morris
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Heart Centre, Central Manchester University Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Halina Dobrzynski
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zeemering S, van Hunnik A, van Rosmalen F, Bonizzi P, Scaf B, Delhaas T, Verheule S, Schotten U. A Novel Tool for the Identification and Characterization of Repetitive Patterns in High-Density Contact Mapping of Atrial Fibrillation. Front Physiol 2020; 11:570118. [PMID: 33178041 PMCID: PMC7593698 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.570118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Electrical contact mapping provides a detailed view of conduction patterns in the atria during atrial fibrillation (AF). Identification of repetitive wave front propagation mechanisms potentially initiating or sustaining AF might provide more insights into temporal and spatial distribution of candidate AF mechanism and identify targets for catheter ablation. We developed a novel tool based on recurrence plots to automatically identify and characterize repetitive conduction patterns in high-density contact mapping of AF. Materials and Methods Recurrence plots were constructed by first transforming atrial electrograms recorded by a multi-electrode array to activation-phase signals and then quantifying the degree of similarity between snapshots of the activation-phase in the electrode array. An AF cycle length dependent distance threshold was applied to discriminate between repetitive and non-repetitive snapshots. Intervals containing repetitive conduction patterns were detected in a recurrence plot as regions with a high recurrence rate. Intervals that contained similar repetitive patterns were then grouped into clusters. To demonstrate the ability to detect and quantify the incidence, duration and size of repetitive patterns, the tool was applied to left and right atrial recordings in a goat model of different duration of persistent AF [3 weeks AF (3 wkAF, n = 8) and 22 weeks AF (22 wkAF, n = 8)], using a 249-electrode mapping array (2.4 mm inter-electrode distance). Results Recurrence plots identified frequent recurrences of activation patterns in all recordings and indicated a strong correlation between recurrence plot threshold and AF cycle length. Prolonged AF duration was associated with shorter repetitive pattern duration [mean maximum duration 3 wkAF: 74 cycles, 95% confidence interval (54-94) vs. 22 wkAF: 41 cycles (21-62), p = 0.03], and smaller recurrent regions within repetitive patterns [3 wkAF 1.7 cm2 (1.0-2.3) vs. 22 wkAF 0.5 cm2 (0.0-1.2), p = 0.02]. Both breakthrough patterns and re-entry were identified as repetitive conduction patterns. Conclusion Recurrence plots provide a novel way to delineate high-density contact mapping of AF. Dominant repetitive conduction patterns were identified in a goat model of sustained AF. Application of the developed methodology using the new generation of multi-electrode catheters could identify additional targets for catheter ablation of AF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stef Zeemering
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Arne van Hunnik
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Frank van Rosmalen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Pietro Bonizzi
- Department of Data Science and Knowledge Engineering, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Billy Scaf
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Tammo Delhaas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Sander Verheule
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Schotten
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
A novel framework for noninvasive analysis of short-term atrial activity dynamics during persistent atrial fibrillation. Med Biol Eng Comput 2020; 58:1933-1945. [PMID: 32535735 PMCID: PMC7417421 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-020-02190-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
ECG-based representation of atrial fibrillation (AF) progression is currently limited. We propose a novel framework for a more sensitive noninvasive characterization of the AF substrate during persistent AF. An atrial activity (AA) recurrence signal is computed from body surface potential map (BSPM) recordings, and a set of characteristic indices is derived from it which captures the short- and long-term recurrent behaviour in the AA patterns. A novel measure of short- and long-term spatial variability of AA propagation is introduced, to provide an interpretation of the above indices, and to test the hypothesis that the variability in the oscillatory content of AA is due mainly to a spatially uncoordinated propagation of the AF waveforms. A simple model of atrial signal dynamics is proposed to confirm this hypothesis, and to investigate a possible influence of the AF substrate on the short-term recurrent behaviour of AA propagation. Results confirm the hypothesis, with the model also revealing the above influence. Once the characteristic indices are normalized to remove this influence, they show to be significantly associated with AF recurrence 4 to 6 weeks after electrical cardioversion. Therefore, the proposed framework improves noninvasive AF substrate characterization in patients with a very similar substrate. Graphical Abstract Schematic representation of the proposed framework for the noninvasive characterization of short-term atrial signal dynamics during persistent AF. The proposed framework shows that the faster the AA is propagating, the more stable its propagation paths are in the short-term (larger values of Speed in the bottom right plot should be interpreted as lower speed of propagation of the corresponding AA propagation patters).
Collapse
|
9
|
Paskaranandavadivel N, Avci R, Cheng LK. Quantification of Dynamic Gastric Slow Wave Activity using Recurrence Plots. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2019:729-732. [PMID: 31946000 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2019.8856679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The genesis and maintenance of abnormal or dysrhythmic bio-electrical slow wave activity in the gut is poorly understood. The use of multi-electrode densely spaced electrodes to map in-vivo slow wave activity from the stomach surface provides a renewed understanding of gastric electro-physiology in health and disease. Analysis of the experimental data thus far have typically only utilized linear methods. Nonlinear methods such as the use of recurrence plots could provide key insights into physiological mechanisms. In this paper we applied recurrence analysis to synthetic propagation and experimental data, in cases where the activity was normal, abnormal and transitory. The recurrence plots were quantified using recurrence rate (RR) and diagonal length entropy (DLE). Normal activity had a higher mean RR than dysrhythmic and transition cases (0.08±0.01 vs 0.03±0.01 and 0.03±0.01). Transition cases had a lower mean DLE than dysrhythmic and normal activity (2.16±0.23 vs 3.30±0.58 and 3.01±0.42). The use of recurrence analysis in the gastrointestinal field will allow for a better understanding of normal activity, as well as provide insights into the mechanisms that are involved in initiating, maintaining and terminating dysrhythmic slow wave activity. It could also be used as a novel qualitative and quantitative approach to predict the progression of slow wave activity.
Collapse
|