ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently occurs in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Although successful ablation of the accessory pathway (AP) eliminates paroxysmal AF in some patients, in other patients it can recur. HYPOTHESIS: We investigated the clinical utility of advanced interatrial block (IAB) for predicting the risk of AF recurrence in patients with verified paroxysmal AF and WPW syndrome after successful AP ablation. METHODS: This retrospective study included 103 patients (70 men, 33 women; mean age, 44 ± 16 years) with WPW syndrome who had paroxysmal AF. A resting 12-lead electrocardiogram was performed immediately after successful AP ablation to evaluate the presence of advanced IAB, which was defined as a P-wave duration of >120 ms and biphasic [±] morphology in the inferior leads. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up period of 30.9 ± 20.0 months (range, 2-71 months), 16 patients (15.5%) developed AF recurrence. Patients with advanced IAB had significantly reduced event-free survival from AF (P < .001). Cox regression analysis with adjustment for the left atrial diameter and CHA2 DS2 -VASc score identified advanced IAB (hazard ratio, 9.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.30-36.72; P = .002) and age > 50 years (hazard ratio, 12.64; 95% CI, 1.33-119.75; P = .027) as independent predictors of AF recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced IAB was an independent predictor of AF recurrence after successful AP ablation in patients with WPW syndrome.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Abnormal thyroid hormone metabolism influences the occurrence and progress of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the present study was to analyze the severity of coronary artery lesions and the prognosis of thyroid dysfunction patients admitted for coronary angiography (CAG). METHODS: From July 2011 to July 2012, 605 consecutive patients with suspected coronary heart disease admitted for CAG were selected. The patients were divided into three groups, based on their thyroid function prior to CAG: euthyroid group (n=455 patients), low T3 syndrome group (n=96 patients), and hypothyroidism group (n=54 patients). All patients underwent CAG. Then the severity of coronary artery lesions was assessed by Gensini scores. All patients were followed up for major adverse cardiac events. RESULTS: The prevalence of CHD in low T3 syndrome group and hypothyroidism group was significantly higher than that in the euthyroid group (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). Moreover, the severity of coronary artery lesions in low T3 syndrome group and hypothyroidism group was significantly greater than that in the euthyroid group (all p<0.001). Multinomial logistic regression analysis demonstrated that low T3 syndrome was an independent risk factor of coronary artery moderate [odds ratio (OR)=4.268, 95% CI: 3.294-7.450, p=0.016] and severe (OR=4.294, 95% CI: 2.259-9.703, p<0.001) lesions. The mean duration of follow-up was 15.3±3.8 months; patients with thyroid dysfunction had a significantly worse prognosis as compared to those in the euthyroid group for the composite end-point (p<0.01). Moreover, the incidence of the composite end-point (all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization) was significantly higher in low T3 syndrome group and hypothyroidism group compared with that of in the euthyroid group (all p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The patients with hypothyroidism and low T3 syndrome had a high prevalence of CHD, increased severity of coronary artery lesions and poor prognosis.