Correlation of left atrial wall thickness and atrial remodeling in atrial fibrillation

Figures

• 

  Figure 1. Measurement of the thickness of LA roof and floor. Left atrial wall thickness was measured at 2 preselected locations by using the axial plane image, roof (A) and floor (B). And measurements would be taken with electronic calipers at 3 sites, which were located within 5 mm of the thickest part of the LA, and the average was considered for further analysis. LA = left artery.

• 

  Figure 2. Flowchart of low-dose-ibutilide-facilitated RFCA. In cases where AF was terminated by ibutilide within 30 minutes, no further ablation would be taken. While in cases whose rhythm converted to atrial tachycardia (AT) within 30 minutes, the specific ablation would be taken until the sinus rhythm (SR) was turned. In patients with persisting AF, the 3D electroanatomic representation of the LA would be reconstructed and CFAEs would be mapped and ablated until the restoration of SR or AT. While the CFAEs of LA and CS had been eliminated or the CFAEs ablation time reached 30 minutes, electrical cardioversion was to be undertaken for SR restoration. AF = atrial fibrillation, CFAEs = complex fractionated atrial electrograms, LA = left artery.

• 

  Figure 3. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis of patients in normal SR after ablation. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis of patients in normal sinus rhythm after ablation. Significant differences in the AF-free survival rate were revealed among the 3 groups (weak 80%, mild 64.53%, strong 31.43%, P = .009). AF = atrial fibrillation.

• 

  Figure 4. ROC curves of LAT for prediction of atrial substrate. The ROC curves of LAT for prediction of atrial substrate with an area under the curve (AUC) of LA roof: 0.954 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.909–0.999, P < .0001) and LA floor: 0.820 (95% CI 0.737–0.903, P < .0001). ROC = receiver operating characteristic curve, LAT = left atrial wall thickness, LA = left artery.