Study of electrogram organization and synchronization in paroxysmal and persistent/permanent atrial fibrillation

Abstract

In this study, we measure and compare organization and synchronization of electrograms (EGM) obtained from patients with different types of diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). The studied database is composed of 70 patients admitted for ablation procedure and previously classified as paroxysmal or persistent/permanent AF. From those patients we analyzed bipolar EGM recordings during AF which were acquired using a circular catheter placed in the pulmonary veins. Results, which are given next as median (IQR), suggest that shorter (145.9 (27) ms vs. 161.3 (33.6) ms, p <; 0.01) and less stable AF cycle length (32.1 (36) ms vs. 7.2 (32.7) ms, p <; 0.01) is associated with persistent/permanent AF. Moreover, a significant reduction of the synchronization (0.35 (0.44) vs. 0.47 (0.51), p = 0.03) and linear relation (0.27 (0.40) vs. 0.36 (0.47), p = 0.01) between EGMs from antipodal electrodes of the same catheter has been found in persistent/permanent AF patients.