PURPOSE: Patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may spontaneously recover sinus rhythm during follow-up. We tested the feasibility and efficacy of electrical cardioversion attempted after 3 months of CRT in patients with permanent AF and measured the long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with permanent AF in whom CRT defibrillators had been implanted were scheduled for internal electrical cardioversion after 3 months (group A) and were compared with a control group of 27 patients (group B). RESULTS: In group A, 22 patients (79 %) were eligible for cardioversion; sinus rhythm was restored in 18 (82 %) of these, with no procedural complications. After 12 months, 16 patients (58 %) in group A were in sinus rhythm, compared with one group B patient who spontaneously recovered sinus rhythm (4 %, p < 0.001). On 12-month evaluation, ejection fraction had improved in both groups, but a reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume was recorded only in group A patients (p = 0.018 versus baseline). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with permanent AF, the rhythm control strategy consisting of internal cardioversion, performed by means of the implanted cardioverter-defibrillator after 3 months of CRT, was associated with a high rate of sinus rhythm resumption on long-term follow-up and with a better echocardiographic response to CRT than that seen in patients treated according to a rate control strategy.
PURPOSE:Patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may spontaneously recover sinus rhythm during follow-up. We tested the feasibility and efficacy of electrical cardioversion attempted after 3 months of CRT in patients with permanent AF and measured the long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with permanent AF in whom CRT defibrillators had been implanted were scheduled for internal electrical cardioversion after 3 months (group A) and were compared with a control group of 27 patients (group B). RESULTS: In group A, 22 patients (79 %) were eligible for cardioversion; sinus rhythm was restored in 18 (82 %) of these, with no procedural complications. After 12 months, 16 patients (58 %) in group A were in sinus rhythm, compared with one group B patient who spontaneously recovered sinus rhythm (4 %, p < 0.001). On 12-month evaluation, ejection fraction had improved in both groups, but a reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume was recorded only in group A patients (p = 0.018 versus baseline). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with permanent AF, the rhythm control strategy consisting of internal cardioversion, performed by means of the implanted cardioverter-defibrillator after 3 months of CRT, was associated with a high rate of sinus rhythm resumption on long-term follow-up and with a better echocardiographic response to CRT than that seen in patients treated according to a rate control strategy.
Authors: S Cazeau; P Bordachar; G Jauvert; A Lazarus; C Alonso; M C Vandrell; J Mugica; P Ritter Journal: Pacing Clin Electrophysiol Date: 2003-01 Impact factor: 1.976
Authors: J Lüker; A Sultan; T Plenge; J van den Bruck; C-H Heeger; S Meyer; K Mischke; R R Tilz; D Vollmann; G Nölker; B Schäffer; S Willems; D Steven Journal: Clin Res Cardiol Date: 2017-11-18 Impact factor: 5.460
Authors: Mark K Elliott; Vishal S Mehta; Dejana Martic; Baldeep S Sidhu; Steven Niederer; Christopher A Rinaldi Journal: Heart Rhythm O2 Date: 2021-12-17
Authors: Jan Ciszewski; Aleksander Maciag; Ilona Kowalik; Pawel Syska; Michal Lewandowski; Michal M Farkowski; Anna Borowiec; Tomasz Chwyczko; Mariusz Pytkowski; Hanna Szwed; Maciej Sterlinski Journal: Trials Date: 2014-10-04 Impact factor: 2.279