Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Histological evaluation of clinically defined atrial cardiomyopathy stages and their association with atrial fibrillation burden under continuous monitoring for a 2.5-year follow-up
- Prospective cohort study
- histological study
- continuous rhythm monitoring with implantable loop recorders
Authors' conclusion
Clinical AtCM markers reflect pro-fibrotic and pro-hypertrophic remodelling in the moderate to severe AtCM stages and are associated with a higher AF burden late after surgery.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with LA/RA tissue samples (RACE V Tissue Bank study)
- Participants
- 136 patients
- Exposure
- Clinically defined atrial cardiomyopathy (AtCM) stages vs no AtCM
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Histology (endomysial fibrosis, cardiomyocyte diameter) and AF burden by AtCM stage
- Severe · LA endomysial fibrosis
- difference +0.82 µm; pFDR,LA < 0.001
- Severe · RA endomysial fibrosis
- difference +0.64 µm; pFDR,RA = 0.010
- Severe · LA cardiomyocyte size
- difference +0.92 µm; pFDR,LA = 0.026
- Moderate · LA myocyte hypertrophy
- difference +1.35 µm; pFDR,LA = 0.007
- Moderate · higher AF burden late after surgery
- β 3.56; pFDR = 0.045
- Severe · higher AF burden late after surgery
- β 3.74; pFDR = 0.034
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Histological evaluation of clinically defined atrial cardiomyopathy stages and their association with atrial fibrillation burden under continuous monitoring for a 2.5-year follow-up. Europace. Published 21 July 2026. doi:10.1093/europace/euag146
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it