Strain echocardiographic assessment of left atrial function predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation

Strain echocardiographic assessment of left atrial function predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation

AIMS We evaluated if a dispersed left atrial (LA) contraction pattern was related to atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with normal left ventricular (LV) function, and normal or mildly enlarged left atrium. METHODS AND RESULTS We included 61 patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF). Of these, 30 had not while 31 had recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Twenty healthy individuals w...

Left atrial strain predicts recurrence of atrial arrhythmias after catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION Success rates of catheter ablation (CA) of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) are very variable. Identifying patients in whom sinus rhythm maintenance cannot be achieved after CA is a critical issue. METHODS 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed before the first CA procedure in consecutive patients with persistent AF. Left atrial (LA) strain was correlated with recu...

Left atrial emptying fraction predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation

BACKGROUND Compared with left atrial (LA) dimension, LA emptying fraction (LAEF) has received less emphasis as a predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). In addition, patients experiencing post-RFCA AF recurrence may respond to previously ineffective antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). Classifying these patients into a third RFCA outcome category ...

strain evaluation of left atrial function: ready for the future?

Echocardiographic assessment of the left atrial appendage.

The left atrial (LA) appendage is a common source of cardiac thrombus formation associated with systemic embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography allows a detailed evaluation of the structure and function of the appendage by two-dimensional imaging and Doppler interrogation of appendage flow. Specific flow patterns, reflecting appendage function, have been characterized for normal sinus rhyth...