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Korhonen M, Parkkonen J, Hedman M, Muuronen A, Onatsu J, Mustonen P, Vanninen R, Taina M. Morphological features of the left atrial appendage in consecutive coronary computed tomography angiography patients with and without atrial fibrillation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173703. [PMID: 28288200 PMCID: PMC5348027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of intracardiac thrombi form in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Enlargement of this structure, together with certain morphological features, may indicate a predisposition to the formation of thrombi and subsequent cardioembolic stroke. Thus far, studies on LAA morphology have largely focused on those patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Taking a different approach, we investigated the variation in LAA morphology in a consecutive patient population with and without AF. We evaluated 808 consecutive patients (529 females; mean age 52.5±9.9 years) who underwent coronary artery computed tomography angiography (CCTA), the majority of whom (749) had no history of AF. We assessed the length, lobe number, and morphological classification of their LAAs. Demographic data and medical histories were collated from medical records and then correlated with LAA morphology. The proportions of each of the four morphological classes of LAA for the overall vs. non-AF population were: WindSock, 62.3/61.5%; Cactus, 18.6/18.8%; ChickenWing, 10.0/10.0%; and CauliFlower, 9.2/9.6%. Age (p<0.001; r = 0.156) and female gender (p<0.001) were both found to be associated with an increased body surface area (BSA)-related LAA length. Male patients were more likely to manifest multi-lobed (p = 0.003) LAAs, and overweight patients with a greater number of multi-lobed LAA morphological classes (p = 0.010). No associations with morphological LAA features could be found for patients with diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidemia. Nor did the size of the left atrium exhibit any correlation with BSA-related LAA length. In the overall and non-AF populations, aging and female gender were associated with longer BSA-indexed LAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miika Korhonen
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Unit of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- * E-mail:
| | - Johannes Parkkonen
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Unit of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Marja Hedman
- Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Antti Muuronen
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Unit of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Juha Onatsu
- Neuro Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pirjo Mustonen
- Department of Cardiology, Keski-Suomi Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ritva Vanninen
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Unit of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko Taina
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Unit of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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Tobón C, Ruiz-Villa CA, Heidenreich E, Romero L, Hornero F, Saiz J. A three-dimensional human atrial model with fiber orientation. Electrograms and arrhythmic activation patterns relationship. PLoS One 2013; 8:e50883. [PMID: 23408928 PMCID: PMC3569461 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The most common sustained cardiac arrhythmias in humans are atrial tachyarrhythmias, mainly atrial fibrillation. Areas of complex fractionated atrial electrograms and high dominant frequency have been proposed as critical regions for maintaining atrial fibrillation; however, there is a paucity of data on the relationship between the characteristics of electrograms and the propagation pattern underlying them. In this study, a realistic 3D computer model of the human atria has been developed to investigate this relationship. The model includes a realistic geometry with fiber orientation, anisotropic conductivity and electrophysiological heterogeneity. We simulated different tachyarrhythmic episodes applying both transient and continuous ectopic activity. Electrograms and their dominant frequency and organization index values were calculated over the entire atrial surface. Our simulations show electrograms with simple potentials, with little or no cycle length variations, narrow frequency peaks and high organization index values during stable and regular activity as the observed in atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia (except in areas of conduction block) and in areas closer to ectopic activity during focal atrial fibrillation. By contrast, cycle length variations and polymorphic electrograms with single, double and fragmented potentials were observed in areas of irregular and unstable activity during atrial fibrillation episodes. Our results also show: (1) electrograms with potentials without negative deflection related to spiral or curved wavefronts that pass over the recording point and move away, (2) potentials with a much greater proportion of positive deflection than negative in areas of wave collisions, (3) double potentials related with wave fragmentations or blocking lines and (4) fragmented electrograms associated with pivot points. Our model is the first human atrial model with realistic fiber orientation used to investigate the relationship between different atrial arrhythmic propagation patterns and the electrograms observed at more than 43000 points on the atrial surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Tobón
- Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación en Bioingeniería y Tecnología Orientada al Ser Humano (I3BH), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlos A. Ruiz-Villa
- Departamento de Sistemas, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Departamento de Informática y Computación, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | | | - Lucia Romero
- Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación en Bioingeniería y Tecnología Orientada al Ser Humano (I3BH), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Hornero
- Servicio Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital General de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Saiz
- Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación en Bioingeniería y Tecnología Orientada al Ser Humano (I3BH), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
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Comparison of left and right atrial appendages anatomy and function in patients with mitral stenosis and sinus rhythm. Egypt Heart J 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ehj.2012.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Lenient Versus Strict Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol 2011; 58:950-2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2011.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Malouf JF, Ammash NM, Chandrasekaran K, Friedman PA, Khandheria BK, Gersh BJ. Critical appraisal of transesophageal echocardiography in cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Am J Med 2002; 113:587-95. [PMID: 12459406 DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9343(02)01318-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and an important health concern in the United States because of the increasing aging population. Cardioversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm to relieve symptoms and to reduce the incidence of thromboembolism is now common practice. Recently, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-facilitated cardioversion emerged as an acceptable therapeutic alternative owing to the assumption that early cardioversion can obviate many of the concerns and disadvantages associated with the conventional approach. We review the current standing of TEE-facilitated early cardioversion vis-à-vis the salient cardioversion issues and its potential future role amid evolving cardioversion paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph F Malouf
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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