Key result
Advanced interatrial block is distinct from left atrial enlargement and frequently linked to atrial arrhythmias.
Why the study?
Interatrial block is well-documented but not described as an individual ECG pattern in most ECG literature, often conflated with left atrial enlargement.
This paper highlights interatrial block as a distinct electrocardiographic entity separate from left atrial enlargement, with advanced forms constituting a syndrome associated with atrial arrhythmias.
Clinicians should differentiate interatrial block from left atrial enlargement on ECG; leaves open prospective validation of its AF/flutter association.
Impaired interatrial conduction or interatrial block is now well-documented but is not described as an individual electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern in the majority of ECG literature. In fact the term atrial abnormality has been adopted to encompass both left atrial enlargement (LAE) and interatrial block. In this paper, we maintain that interatrial blocks and atrial enlargement are separate entities, and that interatrial blocks, similar to other types of blocks at sinoatrial, AV junctional, and ventricular level, exhibit a specific ECG pattern that may present first, second, and third degree types of conduction block. The third degree or advanced interatrial block (A-IAB) is frequently associated with atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFl), and constitutes a true newly-described syndrome.
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Luna et al. (2015) conducted a review in Interatrial block. Interatrial block was evaluated. Interatrial block is a distinct electrocardiographic entity from left atrial enlargement, with advanced interatrial block frequently associated with atrial fibrillation and flutter.
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