Correlation of Left Atrial Voltage Distribution between Sinus Rhythm and Atrial Fibrillation: Identifying Structural Remodeling by 3-D Electroanatomic Mapping Irrespective of the Rhythm.

LA Voltage Correlation Between AF and SR IntroductionLeft atrial (LA) electroanatomical voltage mapping (EAVM) correlates with scar on LGE-MRI and has been used to guide ablation of low voltage area (LVA) in sinus rhythm (SR). We compared EAVM in SR and AF in a cohort of AF patients, and in SR between patients with AF and without AF or structural heart disease (control). Methods and ResultsTwenty-seven AF patients, 9 with paroxysmal AF (PAF), underwent point-by-point EAVM during SR and AF using same Carto3 geometry. Only adjacent SR-AF points ( 5 mm apart) were compared. In addition, 6 control patients were evaluated. There was a linear bipolar voltage correlation between SR and AF (r = 0.707, P < 0.001, Y = 1.515X + 0.786). LA bipolar voltage in patients with PAF was higher than those with Non-PAF in SR (2.24 1.51 vs. 1.56 +/- 1.53 mV) and AF (0.81 +/- 0.60 vs. 0.58 +/- 0.62 mV, both for P < 0.001). The pulmonary vein antra voltage was significantly lower than other LA regions in PAF (1.28 +/- 0.79 vs. 2.54 +/- 1.50 mV, P < 0.001) and Non-PAF patients (1.13 +/- 1.04 vs. 1.86 +/- 1.72 mV, P < 0.001), while no voltage differences was found in the control group (P = 0.998). ConclusionThere was a linear voltage correlation between SR and AF, suggesting a similar extent of LA fibrotic substrate can be identified on EAVM by adjusting the voltage cutoff. Structural remodeling starts in the PV antra and may progress to other LA regions.