Studying some electrophysiological characteristics of left atrial fibrillation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) by using a three-dimensional (3D) mapping system

Abstract

Objective: To study some electrophysiological characteristics of left atrial fibrillation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) by using a three-dimensional (3D) mapping system.
 Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 30 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) (including 21 patients with paroxysmal AF and 9 patients with persistent AF) with indications for electrophysiological study and AF ablation under the support of a 3D mapping system, at the Cardiovascular Center of Hospital E and the Cardiology Department of 103 Military Medical Hospital during the period from Oct 2020 to Oct 2021.
 Results: The mean age was 59.0 ± 11.0 years old, in which the percentage of men accounted for 60%, the mean duration of the disease was 2.2 ± 3.8 years, the symptom class affected the life quality, which was 3.24 ± 0.34 points, according to EHRA. Electrophysiological study results: For the group of persistent AF (n = 7), the average potential was 2.17 ± 0.30 mV, the lowest potential area in the septal region was 1.63 ± 0.38 mV, the potential at the atrial basal area was 1.8 ± 0.17 mV. For the paroxysmal AF group (n=21), the average potential was 2.70 ± 0.28mV, the lowest potential in the septal region was 1.95 ± 0.24 mV. The rate of potential areas <1.5 mV in the group of persistent AF was 28.5%, mainly located in the septum and posterior wall of the left atrium.
 Conclusion: The average potential of the left atrial regions in the group of persistent AF was significantly lower than that of the patients with paroxysmal AF, low potential areas were found in 28.6% of the group of patients with persistent AF, located in the septum and base of the left atrium. There was no difference in sinus node recovery time and left atrial refractory time between the 2 groups.