EFFECT OF CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY ONTHE INCIDENCE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN PATIENTSWITH POOR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION

摘要

Background: The effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with poor systolic function is unclear.Patients and Methods: The incidence of AF in heart failure (HF) patients receiving CRT was compared with those in a previous heart failure trial but no CRT (control group). Only subjects with sinus rhythm at baseline were recruited. Results: There were 64 patients (male = 48; ischemic = 31) in CRT group and 58 (male = 47; ischemic = 17) in control group. The mean age was 64.G+- 13.7 in CRT and 57.4 +-13.1 in control group. The baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 27.9 +- 8.0% in CRT and 26.2 +- 10.0% in control group (p = NS) and the baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics had no difference between the two groups except that the QRS duration was longer in CRT group (p<0.001). After 36 months of follow up, the incidence of AF in CRT group was significantly lower than that of control (3.1% in CRT vs. 17.2% in control; p < 0.01, Fisher exact test). Conclusion: Patients with HF receiving CRT in addition to standard heart failure therapy may be associated with lower incidence of AF in this cohort study.