TY - JOUR
T1 - Cardiac remodeling as a consequence of atrial fibrillation
T2 - An anatomical study of perfusion-fixed human heart specimens
AU - Rolfes, Christopher D.
AU - Howard, Stephen A.
AU - Goff, Ryan P.
AU - Iaizzo, Paul A.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes a continuum of atrial anatomical remodeling. Methods: Using a library of perfusion-fixed human hearts, specimens with AF were compared to controls. During this preliminary assessment study, direct measurements were taken of atrial volume, pulmonary vein (PV) circumference, and left atrial (LA) wall thicknesses. Results: Hearts with AF typically had larger atrial volumes, as well as a much larger variation in volume compared to controls (range of 59.6-227.1 mL in AF hearts compared to 65.1-115.9 mL in controls). For all hearts, right PVs were larger than left PVs (mean: 171.4 ± 84.6 mm2 for right and 118.2 ± 50.1 mm2for left, P < 0.005). LA wall thicknesses ranged from 0.7 mm to 3.1 mm for both AF and control hearts. Conclusions: Hearts with AF had a large range of sizes which is consistent with the progression of atrial remodeling during AF. The large range of thicknesses will influence the amount of energy needed to create transmural lesions during ablation procedures.
AB - Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes a continuum of atrial anatomical remodeling. Methods: Using a library of perfusion-fixed human hearts, specimens with AF were compared to controls. During this preliminary assessment study, direct measurements were taken of atrial volume, pulmonary vein (PV) circumference, and left atrial (LA) wall thicknesses. Results: Hearts with AF typically had larger atrial volumes, as well as a much larger variation in volume compared to controls (range of 59.6-227.1 mL in AF hearts compared to 65.1-115.9 mL in controls). For all hearts, right PVs were larger than left PVs (mean: 171.4 ± 84.6 mm2 for right and 118.2 ± 50.1 mm2for left, P < 0.005). LA wall thicknesses ranged from 0.7 mm to 3.1 mm for both AF and control hearts. Conclusions: Hearts with AF had a large range of sizes which is consistent with the progression of atrial remodeling during AF. The large range of thicknesses will influence the amount of energy needed to create transmural lesions during ablation procedures.
KW - Atrial fibrillation
KW - Left atrial dimensions
KW - Pulmonary vein ostia
KW - Volumes
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U2 - 10.3724/SP.J.1263.2011.00141
DO - 10.3724/SP.J.1263.2011.00141
M3 - Article
C2 - 22783300
AN - SCOPUS:80053496130
SN - 1671-5411
VL - 8
SP - 141
EP - 146
JO - Journal of Geriatric Cardiology
JF - Journal of Geriatric Cardiology
IS - 3
ER -