Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyResearch article
Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation: Prevalence and functional implications
- Consecutive adults ... underwent transthoracic echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and atrial fibrillation (AF) symptom assessment
Authors' conclusion
RV dysfunction is present in a substantial proportion of patients with symptomatic AF despite preserved LV systolic function and is independently associated with reduced CRF. Reduced RV function may be considered as a therapeutic target in the treatment of symptomatic AF.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF and preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction scheduled for catheter ablationmean age 66 ± 10 years, 25% female
- Participants
- 241 adults
- Comparison
- Patients with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction vs without
- RV dysfunctionn = 35
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
RV dysfunction present despite preserved LV systolic function
35 patients (14.5%)
Further findings
VO2peak · lower CRF with RV dysfunction, independent of rhythm · independent of rhythm
P = 0.01
Severely reduced CRF (VO2peak <16 mL/kg/min)
P = 0.026
AF symptom severity
- No association between RV dysfunction and AF symptom severity
- P = 0.59
Structural chamber dimensions
- Structural chamber dimensions were comparable
E/e', left atrial reservoir strain, LV global longitudinal strain
- Higher E/e' with RV dysfunction
- P = 0.006
- Lower left atrial reservoir strain with RV dysfunction
- P < 0.001
- LV global longitudinal strain
- P < 0.001
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it