Background: Increasing evidence has been presented which suggests that left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction\nmay play an important role in the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the potential for LV diastolic\ndysfunction to serve as a predictor of AF recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation remains unresolved.\nMethods: Dual Doppler and M-PW mode echocardiography were performed in 67 patients with AF before ablation\nand 47 patients with sinus rhythm. The parameters measured within identical cardiac cycles included, the time interval\nbetween the onset of early transmitral flow peak velocity (E) and that of early diastolic mitral annular velocity (eâ??) (TE-eâ??),\nthe ratio of E to color M-mode Doppler flow propagation velocity (Vp)(E/Vp), the Tei index, the ratio of E and mitral\nannular septal (S) peak velocity in early diastolic E/eâ??(S) and the ratio of E and mitral annular lateral (L) peak velocity E/\neâ??(L). A follow-up examination was performed 1 year after ablation and patients were divided into two groups based\non the presence or absence of AF recurrence. Risk estimations for AF recurrence were performed using univariate and\nmultivariate logistic regression.\nResults: TE-eâ??, E/Vp, the Tei index, E/eâ??(S) and E/eâ??(L) were all increased in AF patients as compared with the control\ngroup (p < 0.05). At the one-year follow-up examination, a recurrence of AF was observed in 21/67 (31.34%) patients.\nTE-eâ?? and the Tei index within the recurrence group were significantly increased as compared to the group without\nrecurrence (p < 0.001). Results from multivariate analysis revealed that TE-eâ?? can provide an independent predictor for\nAF recurrence (p = 0.001).\nConclusions: Dual Doppler echocardiography can provide an effective and accurate technique for evaluating LV\ndiastolic function within AF patients. The TE-eâ?? obtained within identical cardiac cycles can serve as an independent\npredictor for the recurrence of AF as determined at 1 year after ablation.
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