Association Between Plaque Thickness of the Thoracic Aorta and Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Ablation

• Published in: Korean circulation journal Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 177 - 183
• Main Authors: Hwang, Hui-Jeong, Lee, Man-Young, Youn, Ho-Joong, Oh, Yong-Seog, Rho, Tae-Ho, Chung, Wook-Sung, Park, Chul-Soo, Choi, Yun-Seok, Chung, Woo-Baek, Lee, Jae-Beom, Park, Hyun-Keun, Lim, Keun Joon, Lee, Jae Hak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society of Cardiology 01.04.2011; 대한심장학회
• Subjects: Original; 내과학; Aorta, thoracic; Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 1738-5520; 1738-5555; 1738-5555
• DOI: 10.4070/kcj.2011.41.4.177

Several predictors of recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation have been identified, including age, type of AF, hypertension, left atrial diameter and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the atherosclerotic plaque thickness of the thoracic aorta is associated with a recurrence of AF after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA). Among patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal or persistent AF, 105 consecutive (mean age 58±11 years, male : female=76 : 29) patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography and CPVA were studied. The relationships between the recurrence of AF and variables, including clinical characteristics, plaque thickness of the thoracic aorta, laboratory findings and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated. A univariate analysis showed that the presence of diabetes {hazard ratio (HR)=3.425; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.422-8.249, p=0.006}, ischemic heart disease (HR=4.549; 95% CI, 1.679-12.322, p=0.003), duration of AF (HR=1.010; 95% CI, 1.001-1.018, p=0.025), type of AF (HR=2.412, 95% CI=1.042-5.584, p=0.040) and aortic plaque thickness with ≥4 mm (HR=9.514; 95% CI, 3.419-26.105, p<0.001) were significantly associated with the recurrence of AF after ablation. In Cox multivariate regression analysis, only the aortic plaque thickness (with ≥4 mm) was an independent predictor of recurrence of AF after ablation (HR=7.250, 95% CI=1.906-27.580, p=0.004). Significantly increased aortic plaque thickness can be a predictable marker of recurrence of AF after CPVA.