Although the heart atria have a lesser functional importance than the ventricles, atria play an important role in the pathophysiology of heart failure and supraventricular arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation. In addition, knowledge of atrial morphology recently became more relevant as cardiac electrophysiology and interventional procedures in the atria gained an increasingly significant role in the clinical management of patients with heart disease. The atrial chambers are thin-walled, and several vessels enter at the level of the atria. The left and right atrium have different structures and shape. In general, both atrial chambers have the venous part, the appendage, and the vestibule; different aspects of each part allow us to distinguish morphologically between the left and right atrium. The human atrial conduction system consists of the sinus node and the atrioventricular node with no histologically specialized conduction pathways in the atrial chamber and an interatrial connection. The data show that the propagation of the impulse depends mainly on the myocardial architecture in the atria and the orientation of the myocytes plays a significant role in conduction. To complete the picture, it is also important to know how the atria develop and what is the embryonic origin of its different structures, as this may play a role in the development of some pathological conditions such as atrial fibrillation or certain types of congenital heart defects. Functional impairment of the atria can in some situations severely compromise heart pumping function, and conversely, can support it if other areas are damaged, balancing the blood flow to the body for some time. Key words Morphology of atrial chambers, Pectinate muscles, Atrial function.
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Heart Conduction System * physiology MeSH
- Atrial Function * physiology MeSH
- Heart Atria * embryology anatomy & histology growth & development MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
Plasma natriuretic peptides (NPs) are increased in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with the patients with sinus rhythm. This study investigated whether this phenomenon is intrinsic to heart rhythm irregularity and independent of the heart rate and left atrial pressure (LAP) overload. We investigated 46 patients (age: 59 ± 10 years, male gender: 77%) with non-valvular paroxysmal AF who were scheduled for catheter ablation and had documented stable sinus rhythm for at least 18 hours before the procedure. All patients underwent direct measurement of right atrial pressure and LAP, simultaneously with assessment of plasma B-type NP, N-terminal pro-brain NP, and mid-regional pro-atrial NP. The baseline measurement was followed by induction of AF by rapid atrial pacing in the first 24 patients and by regular pacing from the coronary sinus at 100/min (corresponding to the mean heart rate during induced AF) in the latter 22 patients. Hemodynamic assessment and blood sampling were repeated after 20 min of the ongoing AF or fast regular paging. The baseline characteristics and hemodynamic measurements were comparable between study groups; however, patients in the regular atrial pacing group had a higher body mass index and a larger left atrial diameter compared with the induced AF group. Plasma levels of all 3 NPs increased significantly during induced AF but not during fast regular pacing, and the increase of NPs was independent of right atrial pressure and LAP. Baseline concentrations of NPs and heart rhythm irregularity were the only independent predictors of increased NPs.
- Keywords
- arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, hemodynamics, natriuretic peptides,
- MeSH
- Atrial Fibrillation * MeSH
- Catheter Ablation * methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Natriuretic Peptides MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Atrial Pressure physiology MeSH
- Heart Rate MeSH
- Heart Atria MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Natriuretic Peptides MeSH
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal and irregular heartbeat caused by uncoordinated electrical impulses in the left atrium (LA), which could induce lasting changes in the heart tissue or could be a consequence of underlying cardiac disease. This study aimed to assess the left atrial phasic function and deformation in paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients-who had not received radiofrequency ablation and had no signs of permanent AF-using the cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature-tracking (FT) technique. Fifty subjects (27 PAF patients and 23 controls) were included and examined with CMR. Their LA volume, LA function, LA longitudinal strain (LS) and LA strain rate were assessed in the LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile phases. PAF patients exhibited higher LA volumes than controls, while their LA emptying fraction and LA LS was significantly lower in all three phases. In contrast, the corresponding emptying volumes (total, passive and active) were similar in both groups. The LA volumetric rates from CMR-derived volume curves differed significantly in PAF patients vs controls in the reservoir and contractile phases. In contrast, the equivalent LV volumetric rates were similar. This study suggests that assessing the LA phasic function could offer insight into early LA impairments for PAF patients.
BACKGROUND: In the Phase III PATENT-1 (NCT00810693) and CHEST-1 (NCT00855465) studies, riociguat demonstrated efficacy vs placebo in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Clinical effects were maintained at 2 years in the long-term extension studies PATENT-2 (NCT00863681) and CHEST-2 (NCT00910429). METHODS: This post hoc analysis of hemodynamic data from PATENT-1 and CHEST-1 assessed whether riociguat improved right ventricular (RV) function parameters including stroke volume index (SVI), stroke volume, RV work index, and cardiac efficiency. REVEAL Risk Score (RRS) was calculated for patients stratified by SVI and right atrial pressure (RAP) at baseline and follow-up. The association between RV function parameters and SVI and RAP stratification with long-term outcomes was assessed. RESULTS: In PATENT-1 (n = 341) and CHEST-1 (n = 238), riociguat improved RV function parameters vs placebo (p < 0.05). At follow-up, there were significant differences in RRS between patients with favorable and unfavorable SVI and RAP, irrespective of treatment arm (p < 0.0001). Multiple RV function parameters at baseline and follow-up were associated with survival and clinical worsening-free survival (CWFS) in PATENT-2 (n = 396; p < 0.05) and CHEST-2 (n = 237). In PATENT-2, favorable SVI and RAP at follow-up only was associated with survival and CWFS (p < 0.05), while in CHEST-2, favorable SVI and RAP at baseline and follow-up were associated with survival and CWFS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This post hoc analysis of PATENT and CHEST suggests that riociguat improves RV function in patients with PAH and CTEPH.
- Keywords
- CTEPH, PAH, hypertension, pulmonary, ventricular function, right,
- MeSH
- Enzyme Activators administration & dosage MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Ventricular Function, Right drug effects MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Follow-Up Studies MeSH
- Pulmonary Embolism complications MeSH
- Hypertension, Pulmonary drug therapy etiology physiopathology MeSH
- Pyrazoles administration & dosage MeSH
- Pyrimidines administration & dosage MeSH
- Atrial Pressure drug effects MeSH
- Stroke Volume physiology MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Clinical Trial, Phase III MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Enzyme Activators MeSH
- Pyrazoles MeSH
- Pyrimidines MeSH
- riociguat MeSH Browser
On standard electrocardiogram (ECG) PQ interval is known to be moderately heart rate dependent, but no physiologic details of this dependency have been established. At the same time, PQ dynamics is a clear candidate for non-invasive assessment of atrial abnormalities including the risk of atrial fibrillation. We studied PQ heart rate dependency in 599 healthy subjects (aged 33.5 ± 9.3 years, 288 females) in whom drug-free day-time 12-lead ECG Holters were available. Of these, 752,517 ECG samples were selected (1256 ± 244 per subject) to measure PQ and QT intervals and P wave durations. For each measured ECG sample, 5-minute history of preceding cardiac cycles was also obtained. Although less rate dependent than the QT intervals (36 ± 19% of linear slopes), PQ intervals were found to be dependent on underlying cycle length in a highly curvilinear fashion with the dependency significantly more curved in females compared to males. The PQ interval also responded to the heart rate changes with a delay which was highly sex dependent (95% adaptation in females and males after 114.9 ± 81.1 vs 65.4 ± 64.3 seconds, respectively, p < 0.00001). P wave duration was even less rate dependent than the PQ interval (9 ± 10% of linear QT/RR slopes). Rate corrected P wave duration was marginally but significantly shorter in females than in males (106.8 ± 8.4 vs 110.2 ± 7.9 ms, p < 0.00001). In addition to establishing physiologic standards, the study suggests that the curvatures and adaptation delay of the PQ/cycle-length dependency should be included in future non-invasive studies of atrial depolarizations.
- MeSH
- Action Potentials physiology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electrocardiography, Ambulatory * MeSH
- Electrocardiography MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Sex Characteristics MeSH
- Heart Conduction System physiology MeSH
- Atrial Function MeSH
- Heart diagnostic imaging physiology MeSH
- Heart Rate physiology MeSH
- Heart Rate Determination methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and related atrial tachyarrhythmias (AT), including type I atrial flutter (AFL) are frequently observed in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Their relationship to hemodynamic changes, atrial size, and ventricular function are still not fully verified. METHODS: We retrospectively studied hemodynamic data, echocardiographic findings and arrhythmia incidence in 814 patients with invasively diagnosed precapillary PH (aged 59 ± 14 years; 46% males). Patients with combined or post-capillary PH were excluded. RESULTS: AF / AT were identified in 225 (28%) of all the study population. Compared to the subgroup without arrhythmia, patients with AF / AT had elevated right atrial pressure (11 ± 5 vs. 9 ± 5 mmHg), wedge pressure (11 ± 3 vs. 10 ± 3), a more enlarged right atrium (50 ± 12 vs. 47 ± 11 mm) and an increased left atrial diameter in the parasternal long axis projection, p < 0.05 for all comparisons. In the multivariate model, the left atrial size, patient age, arterial hypertension, diabetes and type of PH were associated with AF / AT occurrence, p < 0.05. Patients with type I AFL were more frequently male (39 (80%) vs. 62 (42%)), were younger (61 ± 11 vs. 67 ± 10 years), had increased pulmonary artery mean pressure (50 ± 12 vs. 45 ± 12 mmHg), less advanced left atrial dilatation (38 ± 10 vs. 42 ± 7 mm), and a more enlarged right atrium (56 ± 12 vs. 48 ± 11) as compared to subjects with AF or other AT, p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence of elevated wedge pressure and the enlargement of the left atrium especially in patients with AF suggest a parallel involvement of the left atrial substrate in arrhythmia formation despite invasively confirmed evidence of purely isolated precapillary PH. Substantial differences were noticed between patients with type I AFL and the remaining patients with other arrhythmia types.
- Keywords
- Atrial fibrillation, Atrial flutter, Atrial tachycardia, Pulmonary hypertension,
- MeSH
- Action Potentials MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Atrial Fibrillation diagnosis epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Atrial Flutter diagnosis epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Risk Assessment MeSH
- Incidence MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Hypertension, Pulmonary diagnosis epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Prevalence MeSH
- Retrospective Studies MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Atrial Function, Left * MeSH
- Heart Rate * MeSH
- Tachycardia, Supraventricular diagnosis epidemiology physiopathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic epidemiology MeSH
AIMS: Impaired left ventricular diastolic function leading to elevated left atrial pressures, particularly during exertion, is a key driver of symptoms and outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Insertion of an interatrial shunt device (IASD) to reduce left atrial pressure in HFpEF has been shown to be associated with short-term haemodynamic and symptomatic benefit. We aimed to investigate the potential effects of IASD placement on HFpEF survival and heart failure hospitalization (HFH). METHODS AND RESULTS: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients participating in the Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure study (Corvia Medical) of an IASD were followed for a median duration of 739 days. The theoretical impact of IASD implantation on HFpEF mortality was investigated by comparing the observed survival of the study cohort with the survival predicted from baseline data using the Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure heart failure risk survival score. Baseline and post-IASD implant parameters associated with HFH were also investigated. Based upon the individual baseline demographic and cardiovascular profile of the study cohort, the Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure score-predicted mortality was 10.2/100 pt years. The observed mortality rate of the IASD-treated cohort was 3.4/100 pt years, representing a 33% lower rate (P = 0.02). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the observed survival in IASD patients was greater than predicted (P = 0.014). Baseline parameters were not predictive of future HFH events; however, poorer exercise tolerance and a higher workload-corrected exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at the 6 months post-IASD study were associated with HFH. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests IASD implantation may be associated with a reduction in mortality in HFpEF. Large-scale ongoing randomized studies are required to confirm the potential benefit of this therapy.
- Keywords
- HFpEF, Heart failure, Interatrial shunt, Medical device, Survival,
- MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Ventricular Function, Left physiology MeSH
- Hospitalization trends MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Survival Rate trends MeSH
- Follow-Up Studies MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Prostheses and Implants * MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Atrial Pressure physiology MeSH
- Cardiac Catheterization methods MeSH
- Heart Failure mortality physiopathology surgery MeSH
- Heart Atria physiopathology surgery MeSH
- Stroke Volume physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Clinical Trial MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Australia epidemiology MeSH
- Europe epidemiology MeSH
- New Zealand epidemiology MeSH
BACKGROUND: We investigated whether the increase of plasma natriuretic peptides (NPs) in atrial fibrillation (AF) is independent of the effect of AF on the left atrial (LA) hemodynamics. METHODS: Hemodynamically stable patients scheduled for AF ablation underwent assessment of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), echocardiography, and direct measurement of left atrial (LA) pressure. Concentrations of the NPs were compared between patients in AF (n = 31) and controls in sinus rhythm (SR; n = 31) who were matched for age, gender, heart rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, LA volume index, and directly measured mean LA pressure. Eighteen patients underwent serial measurement of NPs and LA pressure during native SR and after 20 min of pacing-induced AF. RESULTS: Compared to the patients in SR, the patients in AF had 2.6 times higher unadjusted BNP [median (inter-quartile range), 101 (63, 129) vs. 38 (26, 79) ng/L] and two times higher unadjusted MR-proANP [183 (140, 230) vs. 91 (67, 135) pmol/L; both p < 0.001]. Concentrations of both NPs correlated with mean LA pressure in the patients in SR (r = 0.75 for BNP and 0.62 for MR-proANP, both p < 0.001) but not in the patients in AF (r = 0.18 and 0.04, respectively, both p > 0.3). Both NPs increased significantly during induced AF [adjusted median (IQR) relative change, BNP: 27 (22; 40)%, MR-proANP: 75 (64; 99)%, both p < 0.001] without a significant change in the LA pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of NPs in AF was independent of its effect on the LA hemodynamics.
- Keywords
- Atrial fibrillation, Atrial pressure, Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, Natriuretic peptide,
- MeSH
- Atrial Natriuretic Factor blood MeSH
- Biomarkers blood MeSH
- Echocardiography MeSH
- Atrial Fibrillation blood diagnosis surgery MeSH
- Ventricular Function, Left physiology MeSH
- Catheter Ablation methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Follow-Up Studies MeSH
- Natriuretic Peptide, Brain blood MeSH
- Prognosis MeSH
- Disease Progression MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Atrial Appendage diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Atrial Pressure physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Atrial Natriuretic Factor MeSH
- Biomarkers MeSH
- midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, human MeSH Browser
- Natriuretic Peptide, Brain MeSH
Left bundle branch block increases the risk of death in patients with chronic heart failure. We herein report four clinical cases of patients with chronic heart failure caused by nonischemic cardiomyopathy with left bundle branch block that occurred when adding ivabradine to optimal medical therapy, resulting in reverse electrical and mechanical remodeling. This phenomenon might be explained by the effect of ivabradine on reverse remodeling of the left ventricle with improvement of intraventricular conduction.
- Keywords
- Electrical remodeling, cardiomyopathy, chronic heart failure, intraventricular conduction, ivabradine, left bundle branch block,
- MeSH
- Bundle-Branch Block complications diagnostic imaging drug therapy physiopathology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electrocardiography MeSH
- Ivabradine pharmacology therapeutic use MeSH
- Cardiomyopathies complications diagnostic imaging drug therapy physiopathology MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Atrial Remodeling drug effects MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Heart Rate drug effects MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Ivabradine MeSH
BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) enlargement has been identified as a predictor of worse clinical outcome after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the correspondence of LA size parameters assessed by echocardiography, CT and 3D electroanatomical mapping in patients with AF treated by catheter ablation. METHODS: We analyzed echocardiographic LA volume measurements by disc summation method (LAVDISC), computed tomography (LAVCT) and 3D electroanatomical mapping (LAVCARTO) in 100 pts. (71% males; aged 63 ± 8 years; paroxysmal AF in 55% of patients). RESULTS: Mean LAVDISC was 83 ± 25 ml (median: 115; IQR: 98-140 ml), mean LAVCT was 120 ± 34 ml (median: 115; IQR: 98-140 ml) and mean LAVCARTO was 123 ± 36 ml (median: 118; IQR: 99-132 ml). Pearson's correlation coefficient between LAVDISC a LAVCT was 0.6 (p < 0.0001) and between LAVCARTO and LAVCT was 0.79 (p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference between the two correlation coefficients (p < 0.004). The absolute difference between LAVCARTO and LAVCT (3.5 (95% CI -42 - 43) ml) was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) as compared to LAVDISC and LAVCT (- 39 (95% CI -102 - 24) ml). In opposite to LAVDISC, the bias between LAV obtained by CT and CARTO did not differentiate according to presence of spherical remodeling (1.7 ± 28 vs. vs. 5.1 ± 31 ml). Only presence of sinus rhythm was significant and independent covariate of the difference between CARTO and CT-derived LAVs by multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Even though LA volumes evaluated by 3D-electroanatomical mapping have quite good accuracy, the precision is low. For volumes estimated by echocardiography, both precision and accuracy are low.
- Keywords
- Atrial fibrillation, Cardiac CT, Catheter ablation, Echocardiography, Electroanatomic mapping, Left atrial volume,
- MeSH
- Echocardiography methods MeSH
- Atrial Fibrillation diagnostic imaging surgery MeSH
- Catheter Ablation MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed methods MeSH
- Regression Analysis MeSH
- Atrial Remodeling MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
- Heart Atria diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Imaging, Three-Dimensional methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
