Alterations in left atrial volume and function after atrial fibrillation ablation evaluated by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Alterations in left atrial volume after atrial fibrillation ablation correlated significantly with changes in circumferential reservoir strain in both paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Atrial fibrillation (n=80). Intervention: Atrial fibrillation ablation vs. Baseline (pre-ablation). Primary outcome: Correlation between delta changes in maximum left atrial volume index (LA VImax) and circumferential reservoir strain (LASrc) at one day after ablation in non-PAF patients (r=0.542, p=0.003).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Alterations in left atrial volume following atrial fibrillation ablation correlate significantly with changes in circumferential reservoir strain in both paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Tomoko Minamisaka; Tetsuya Watanabe; Nobutaka Masunaga; Yukinori Shinoda; Hirooki Inui; Ryohei Amiya; Masato Fujiwara; Arisa Murakami; Shiro Hoshida

doi:10.1038/s41598-026-52877-x

May 13, 2026Scientific ReportsOpen Access

Alterations in left atrial volume and function after atrial fibrillation ablation evaluated by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

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Key result

Post-AF ablation LA volume changes correlate with shifts in circumferential reservoir strain.

r=0.542
P=0.003
n=80

Figures

Why the study?

Alterations in longitudinal and circumferential left atrial reservoir function after atrial fibrillation ablation remain undefined.

Does atrial fibrillation ablation alter left atrial volume and two-directional reservoir function in patients with paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?

Key Points

To examine acute alterations in two-directional left atrial reservoir strain and their association with left atrial volume changes before and after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
Assessed 80 patients (45 males; n = 46 paroxysmal atrial fibrillation [PAF], n = 34 non-PAF) undergoing catheter ablation using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography before ablation, at 1 day, and at 3 months post-ablation.
Quantified maximum left atrial volume index (LAVImax), longitudinal reservoir strain (LASr), circumferential reservoir strain (LASrc), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
In PAF patients at 1 day post-ablation, LASr decreased significantly (p = 0.001) alongside reduced LVEF (p = 0.043) without acute changes in LAVImax, whereas non-PAF patients showed significant recovery in LASrc (42 ± 82%, p = 0.006) versus LASr (11 ± 60%, p = 0.296) and reduced LAVImax (-8 ± 20%, p = 0.049).
Delta changes in LAVImax at 1 day post-ablation correlated positively with changes in LASrc in both PAF (r = 0.323, p = 0.039) and non-PAF patients (r = 0.542, p = 0.003).
Before ablation, LAVImax correlated negatively with LVEF (p < 0.001), LASr (p < 0.001), and LASrc (p < 0.001) across all cohorts.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=80)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does atrial fibrillation ablation alter left atrial volume and two-directional reservoir function in patients with paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?

P

Population

80 patients (45 males) with atrial fibrillation undergoing ablation, including 46 with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and 34 with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-PAF).

I

Intervention

Atrial fibrillation ablation

C

Comparator

Pre-ablation baseline

O

Outcome

Acute changes in two-directional left atrial (LA) reservoir function (longitudinal [LASr] and circumferential [LASrc] reservoir strain) and maximum LA volume index (LAVImax) evaluated by 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography at 1 day and 3 months after ablationsurrogate

Main Result

Effect estimate: r=0.542

p-value: p=0.003

Atrial fibrillation ablation induces acute, directionally different changes in left atrial reservoir strain between paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal AF patients, with LA volume changes correlating closely with circumferential strain.

Limitations

Small number of patients
Examined the LA volume-function relationship only up to 3 months after ablation
Did not examine the role of LA contraction strain in relation to acute changes in LA volume

Implication

Acute post-ablation LA strain shifts warrant cautious early echo interpretation; leaves open their value for predicting recurrence or guiding surveillance.

Abstract

Left atrial (LA) strain, measured using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE), is crucial for evaluating LA performance. However, alterations in longitudinal and circumferential LA reservoir function after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remain undefined. We aimed to examine acute changes in two-directional LA reservoir function and their relationship to those in LA volume before and after AF ablation. We quantified the maximum LA volume index (LAVImax) and longitudinal (LASr) and circumferential (LASrc) reservoir strain using 3D-STE in 80 patients (45 males) before ablation and 1 day/3 months after ablation for AF (n = 46, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF); n = 34, non-PAF). LAVImax negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, p < 0.001), LASr (p < 0.001), and LASrc (p < 0.001) before ablation. One day after ablation, LASr (p = 0.001) decreased significantly in patients with PAF, accompanied by reduced LVEF (p = 0.043) without changes in LAVImax. In patients with non-PAF, recovery in LASrc (42 ± 82%, p = 0.006) was significant compared to LASr (11 ± 60%, p = 0.296), with a reduction in LAVImax (-8 ± 20%, p = 0.049). Delta changes in LAVImax at one day after ablation correlated with those in LASrc in patients with PAF (r = 0.323, p = 0.039) and non-PAF (r = 0.542, p = 0.003). In conclusions, acute LA reservoir strain changes detected post-ablation differed in direction between patients with PAF and those with non-PAF. Alterations in LA volume correlated well with those in the circumferential reservoir strain in both PAF and non-PAF.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Minamisaka et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Atrial fibrillation (n=80). Atrial fibrillation ablation vs. Baseline (pre-ablation) was evaluated on Correlation between delta changes in maximum left atrial volume index (LA VImax) and circumferential reservoir strain (LASrc) at one day after ablation in non-PAF patients (r=0.542, p=0.003). Alterations in left atrial volume after atrial fibrillation ablation correlated significantly with changes in circumferential reservoir strain in both paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a06bbe1e7dec685947ac938 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52877-x

Topics

Atrial fibrillation

Persistent AF management

AF ablation outcomes

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Alterations in left atrial volume and function after atrial fibrillation ablation evaluated by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Topics

Alterations in left atrial volume and function after atrial fibrillation ablation evaluated by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

Figures

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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