This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lu, T.-M. Articles by Chen, S.-A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lu, T.-M. Articles by Chen, S.-A.

Electrophysiologic characteristics in initiation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation from a focal area

Tse-Min Lu, MD, Ching-Tai Tai, MD^* , Ming-Hsiung Hsieh, MD^*, Chin-Feng Tsai, MD^*, Yung-Kuo Lin, MD, Wen-Chung Yu, MD^* , Hsuan-Ming Tsao, MD, Shih-Huang Lee, MD^*, Yu-An Ding, MD^* , Mau-Song Chang, MD^* and Shih-Ann Chen, MD^*

^* Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, People's Republic of China
Division of Cardiology, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, People's Republic of China

View larger version (34K): [in a new window]   Figure 1 Comparisons of electrophysiologic characteristics of AF episodes originating from proximal and distal portions of PVs (PV-P, PV-D; [A]), RSPV and LSPV (B), superior and inferior PVs (C) and PVs and SVC (D). AF = atrial fibrillation; AF1 = first cycle length of AF episodes; CI = coupling interval of the first ectopic beat just before the onset of AF; CL = cycle length; LSPV = left superior pulmonary vein; Mean CL = mean cycle length of 15 beats before onset of AF; PI = prematurity index; PV = pulmonary vein; PV-D = pulmonary vein-distal; PV-P = pulmonary vein-proximal; RSPV = right superior pulmonary vein; SVC = superior vena cava.

View larger version (28K): [in a new window]   Figure 2 Two examples of initiation patterns of AF originating from PVs. (A) The onset of AF episode was preceded by cycle length oscillation, namely long-short cycle sequence due to ectopic beats with post-extrabeat pauses. The arrow points to the earliest activity at LSPV-2. The ectopic beats before the onset of AF originated from the same AF-initiating focus. (B) The onset of AF was not preceded by cycle length oscillation. This AF episode originated from the proximal RSPV (arrow). AF = atrial fibrillation; CS = coronary sinus; HRA = high right atrium; LSPV-O, 2, 3 = ostium, second and third pair of electrodes inside the left superior pulmonary vein, respectively; RSPV-O, D = from the ostium to the distal part of right superior pulmonary vein.