Further assessment of atrial fibrillation as a risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease: a multicenter questionnaire survey.

OBJECTIVE: Although both atrial fibrillation (AF) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are common diseases, the relationship between these two conditions remains controversial, depending on the study design and type of AF. Therefore, we focused on the relationship between nonvalvular AF and GERD. METHODS: A total of 479 consecutive subjects (255 men and 224 women, mean age: 60.4 ± 12.8 years), including outpatients at several hospitals (n=201) and participants of an annual health screening program (n=278), were enrolled. Subjects with valvular AF, malignancy or dementia were excluded. The frequency scale for symptoms of GERD (F-scale) was applied after obtaining each patient's informed consent for screening symptomatic GERD with a total cutoff score of 8 points. The score on the questionnaire was correlated with the baseline characteristics extracted from the patients' medical records. RESULTS: The total F-scale scores were significantly higher in the older patients (≥ 60 years) than in the younger patients (<60 years) (p=0.017) and increased in the following order: permanent AF > paroxysmal AF > sinus rhythm (p=0.003). The incidence of GERD increased in the same order among the patients with the various heart rhythm classifications (p<0.001). Coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were not correlated with the F-scale scores or incidence of GERD. The stepwise discriminant analyses demonstrated that nonvalvular AF alone was significantly associated with symptomatic GERD (Wilks' lambda=0.983, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: This multicenter study demonstrated that nonvalvular AF is significantly correlated with symptomatic GERD. This small sample survey warrants a future study of a large-scale cohort.

Relationship between atrial fibrillation and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a multicenter questionnaire survey.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains controversial, and investigations into this relationship have been based on small series. This multicenter survey evaluated the relationship between these diseases. METHODS: The study enrolled 188 consecutive subjects (110 males and 78 females, mean age 60.4 ± 0.9 years) treated as outpatients. Patients were classified by the frequency scale for symptoms of GERD (F-scale) after obtaining informed consent for screening for GERD. Scores on this questionnaire were correlated to baseline characteristics obtained from medical records. The cutoff value for a diagnosis of GERD was set at 8.0 points. RESULTS: Total scores on the F-scale were significantly greater in female subjects (p = 0.004) and in patients with AF (p = 0.019) compared to the other subjects. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the prevalence of GERD demonstrated that GERD was not related to gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia or coronary artery disease and that AF alone showed a significant (p < 0.001) correlation with GERD. CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter questionnaire survey demonstrated that among traditional cardiovascular risk factors, AF was an independent risk factor for GERD. A large cohort study to assess the potential relationship between GERD and AF is warranted.

Open-loop, clockwise QT-RR hysteresis immediately before the onset of torsades de pointes in type 2 long QT syndrome.

Delay of QT interval adaptation to sudden heart rate change causes hysteresis in dynamic QT-RR relationship. We analyzed QT-RR plotting during and after exercise in a patient with genetically identified type 2 long QT syndrome before and after starting oral propranolol. Blunted QT shortening by exercise and augmented postexercise QT prolongation resulted in an open-loop, clockwise QT-RR hysteresis immediately before the onset of torsades de pointes before propranolol. However, this hysteresis was eliminated by propranolol. QT-RR analysis provided insight into the mechanisms of the onset of torsades de pointes at least in this case of type 2 long QT syndrome.

Case of atrial tachycardia originating from giant coronary sinus connected to persistent left superior vena cava: successful catheter ablation guided by noncontact mapping.

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is widely applied to tachyarrhythmia associated not only with structurally normal hearts but also with relatively mild cardiac anomalies. We present a case of 35 year-old female complaining of exercise-induced frequent palpitations caused by atrial tachycardia (AT) originating from giant coronary sinus (CS) connected to persistent left superior vena cava. AT was sensitive to intravenous ATP administration. Electrophysiological study partly using noncontact balloon of EnSite system clarified that two foci of AT were located at the orifice and the distal inner lumen of giant CS. After repetitive applications of RF energy to these origins, AT was not induced by drip infusion of isoproterenol. AT was not evoked by exercise without antiarrhythmic drugs 15 months after the RF ablation. This case indicates that RF ablation guided by noncontact mapping technique should be considered as a therapeutic regimen for AT associated with mild cardiac malformations.

Case of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation improved after the administration of proton pump inhibitor for associated reflux esophagitis.

A 64-year-old man had demonstrated palpitations caused by paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) documented by ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Effectiveness of antiarrhythmic agent (disopyramide: 300 mg/day) was limited. Based on the gastrointestinal endoscopic findings, proton pump inhibitor (PPI: rabeprazole, 10 mg/day) was administered to eliminate heart burn due to reflux esophagitis. Symptoms of paroxysmal AF and reflux esophagitis were confusing due to the anatomical proximity of the diseased organs and concomitant occurrence in the evening and when in a supine position. After the additional PPI therapy, not only was reflux esophagitis improved subjectively and endoscopically but also paroxysms of AF markedly reduced. Because esophagus is attached to left atrial posterior wall and the role of inflammatory process on the development of AF is highlighted, amelioration of reflux esophagitis by PPI may have been followed by the remarkable reduction of paroxysms of AF.