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Persistence of Atrial Fibrillation After Its Induction— Importance of the Duration and Dispersion of Atrial Refractoriness and Electrical Remodeling

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Bruno Cotter

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Elisabeth Leistad

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Suppachok Subudhayangkul

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Manish Wadhwa

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

GilAnthony Ungab

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Gregory K. Feld

the Electrophysiology Program, Division of Cardiology and Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

Background: The electrophysiologic mechanisms of the persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after its initiation are not well understood. Therefore, the electrophysiologic charac teristics of the right atrium were evaluated in an acute, pacing-induced model of AF in the pig in order to identify parameters associated with persistence of AF.

Methods and Results: AF was induced by rapid atrial pacing in 30 anesthetized, open- chest, juvenile pigs. Sustained (S) AF was defined as that lasting > 10 minutes, nonsustained (NS) AF <10 minutes but >30 seconds, and no (N) AF <30 seconds. Activation mapping and programmed stimulation (S1S1 = 200 ms) was performed at 56 electrodes on the right atrial free wall, to determine ERP (mean and minimum), dispersion of refractoriness (ERPdisp, ELEdisp), conduction velocity (CV), wavelength, AF cycle length (mean of 10 beats), and AF cycle length/time (electrical remodeling). SAF was induced in 10 pigs, NSAF in 9, and NAF in 11. AF cycle length was shorter in SAF and/vs NS vs NAF (P < .001). Mean ERP (107 ± 9 and/vs 122 ± 5 vs 142 ± 9, P < .001) and wavelength (7 ± 1 and/vs 9 ± 1 vs 11 ± 1, P < .001) were shorter in SAF and/vs NSAF vs NAF. Minimum ERP was shorter in SAF and NSAF vs NAF (P < .001). CV at cycle lengths of 200 and 150 msec was not different between groups. Dispersion of ERP was greater in SAF and/vs NSAF vs NAF (8 ± 1 and/vs 11 ± 1 vs 19 ± 4, P < .001).

Conclusions: Persistence of AF correlated with shorter ERP and wavelength, and greater dispersion of ERP and electrical remodeling. There was no correlation with CV.

Key Words: atrial fibrillation • wavelength • conduction • refractoriness • electrical remodeling.

Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vol. 4, No. 2, 113-120 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/107424849900400206


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