Electrical remodelling of the left and right atria due to rheumatic mitral stenosis

Abstract

Aims: To characterize the atrial remodelling in mitral stenosis (MS). Methods and results: Twenty-four patients with severe MS undergoing commissurotomy and 24 controls were studied. Electrophysiological evaluation was performed in 12 patients in each group by positioning multi-electrode catheters in both atria to determine the following: effective refractory period (ERP) at 10 sites at 600 and 450 ms; conduction time; conduction delay at the crista terminalis (CT); and vulnerability for atrial fibrillation (AF). P-wave duration (PWD) was determined on the surface ECG. In the remaining 12 patients in each group, electroanatomic maps of both atria were created to determine conduction velocity..