Effect of chronic right atrial stretch on atrial electrical remodeling in patients with an atrial septal defect

Abstract

Background - Adults with an atrial septal defect (ASD) frequently develop late atrial arrhythmias. We sought to characterize the pattern and persistence of atrial electrical remodeling caused by chronic right atrial (RA) stretch in this group. Methods and Results - Thirteen ASD patients without atrial arrhythmia (42±10 years old; RA volume, 65±16 mL) and 17 normal control subjects (44±11 years old; RA volume, 38±8 mL) had electrophysiological study to measure (1) atrial effective refractory period (AERP) from the low lateral/high lateral/high septal RA and distal coronary sinus (CS), (2) dispersion of AERP, (3) lateral-RA and CS conduction time during constant pacing, (4) conduction delay ac..