Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Atrial fibrillation increases left and right atrial pressures in patients with chronic heart diseases
- single-center retrospective analysis
- propensity score matching
Authors' conclusion
In our cohort, AF increased PCWP by 2.6 mmHg and RAP by 1.1 mmHg. Furthermore, a previous history of AF is linked to higher atrial pressures in patients later in SR.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with chronic heart diseases undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC)two propensity-matched cohorts for pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and right atrial pressure (RAP) analysis · PCWP cohort 496 · RAP cohort 494
- Participants
- 1,452 patients
- Exposure
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) vs sinus rhythm (SR) group
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PCWP
P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
RAP · higher in AF · After matching
P = 0.02
Robustness to unmeasured confounders
- PCWP E-value
- 10.8
- RAP E-value
- 2.78
PCWP and RAP in SR cohort by prior history of AF
- Significantly higher PCWP and RAP with prior history of AF compared to no AF history
Original publication
Atrial fibrillation increases left and right atrial pressures in patients with chronic heart diseases. ESC Heart Fail. Published 8 January 2026. doi:10.1093/eschf/xvaf032
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it