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Incidental LV LGE on CMR Imaging in Atrial Fibrillation Predicts Recurrence After Ablation Therapy
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Incidental LV LGE on CMR Imaging in Atrial Fibrillation Predicts Recurrence After Ablation Therapy

Promporn Suksaranjit, Nazem Akoum, Eugene G. Kholmovski, Gregory J. Stoddard, Lowell Chang, Kavitha Damal, Krishna Velagapudi, Allen Rassa, Erik Bieging, Shridhar Challa, …
JACC. Cardiovascular imaging, Vol.8(7), pp.793-800
07/2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2015.03.008
PMID: 26093929
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmg.2015.03.008View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the prognostic significance of left ventricular late gadolinium enhancement (LV-LGE) incidentally found in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who undergo ablation therapy. LV-LGE provides prognostic information in patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathies. However, data on the clinical significance of incidental LV-LGE in the AF population are limited. A total of 778 patients who were referred for radiofrequency ablation of AF underwent cardiac magnetic resonance examinations between June 2006 and January 2013. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction or ablation therapy were excluded. The presence of LV-LGE was assessed by experienced imaging physicians. Patients were followed for arrhythmia recurrence after the radiofrequency ablation procedure. Of 598 patients included in the study, 60% were men with a mean age of 64 years and a median AF duration of 25 months. LV-LGE was detected in 39 patients (6.5%). There were 240 arrhythmia recurrences observed involving 40% of patients over a median follow-up period of 52 months. On univariate analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00 to 1.03), male sex (HR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.86), diabetes (HR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.27), CHADS2 score (HR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.36), CHA2DS2-VASc score (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.30), left atrial (LA) fibrosis (HR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.96), LV-LGE (HR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.03), persistent AF (HR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.11 to 2.09), and LA area (HR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.05) were significantly associated with arrhythmia recurrence. The recurrence rate was 69% in patients with LV-LGE compared with 38% in patients without LV-LGE (p < 0.001). In a multivariate model, LA fibrosis and LV-LGE were independent predictors of arrhythmia recurrence. In AF patients without history of myocardial infarction, LV-LGE is a significant independent predictor of arrhythmia recurrence after ablation therapy.
ablation therapy atrial fibrillation cardiac magnetic resonance late gadolinium enhancement

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