pISSN 1738-5520 eISSN 1738-5555
Indexed in PubMed, SCIE and Scopus
Open Access, Peer-reviewed, Monthly
    Korean Circ J. 2008 Oct;38(10):551-556. Korean.
    Published online Oct 30, 2008.
    https://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2008.38.10.551
    Copyright © 2008 The Korean Society of Cardiology
    Original Article

    Relationship Between RR Intervals and Early Diastolic Mitral Annulus Velocities in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Who do not Have Significant Valvular Diseases

    Yeo Won Choi, MD, Jeong Eun Kim, MD, Eun Jung Cho, MD, Eun Young Kim, MD, Ki Woo Seo, MD, Kyung Heon Lee, MD, Kwang Je Lee, MD, Sang Wook Kim, MD, Tae Ho Kim, MD, Hong Sook Ko, PhD, Chee Jeong Kim, MD, and Wang Seong Ryu, MD
      • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
    • Correspondence: Chee Jeong Kim, MD, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, 224-1 Heukseok 1-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 156-755, Korea. Tel: 82-2-6299-1398, Fax: 82-2-822-2769, Email: cjkim@cau.ac.kr
    Received April 29, 2008; Revised June 17, 2008; Accepted July 11, 2008.

    Abstract

    Background and Objectives

    Irregular RR intervals in atrial fibrillation (AF) results in beat to beat changes in hemodynamical parameters. Early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E') is one of the parameters that represent diastolic function of the left ventricle (LV). In this study, we have investigated the effects of continuous changes of systolic functions in AF on the diastolic functions of the LV.

    Subjects and Methods

    E' (35-40 beats) was recorded in 31 AF patients that did not have significant valvular heart diseases. The relationships between preceding RR intervals (RR-1) or pre-preceding RR intervals (RR-2) and E's were obtained using a logarithmic function.

    Results

    Slopes between RR-1 and E' varied from -1.62 to 1.04 in total coordinates. In the logistic regression analysis patients with negative slopes were found to have a larger left atrial size than patients with positive slopes (5.5±0.67 cm vs. 4.9±0.56 cm, p=0.02). Slopes were negatively related with mean RR intervals in the Pearson correlation analysis (r=-0.40, p=0.028). Slopes between RR-2 and E' were also variable and were not associated with other parameters.

    Conclusion

    Beat to beat changes in systolic functions derived from irregular RR intervals in AF had variable effects on diastolic functions among patients. The relationship between RR-1 and E' was associated with LA sizes and mean RR intervals.

    Keywords
    Left ventricular functions; Atrial fibrillation; Electrocardiography; Pulsed Doppler echocardiography

    Figures

    Fig. 1
    Representative examples of negative (A) and positive (B) relationships between preceding RR intervals and early diastolic mitral annulus velocities.

    Fig. 2
    Relationship of slopes between preceding RR intervals and early diastolic mitral annulus velocities with mean RR intervals (A) and left atrial (LA) sizes (B).

    Tables

    Table 1
    Clinical characteristics of patients

    Table 2
    Comparisons between patients with negative and positive relationships between RR intervals and early diastolic mitral annulus velocities

    Table 3
    Relationship of the slope derived from the correlation between RR intervals and early diastolic mitral annulus velocities with clinical and echocardiographic variables

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    MeSH Terms
    Atrial Fibrillation
    Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed
    Electrocardiography
    Heart Valve Diseases
    Heart Ventricles
    Humans
    Logistic Models
    Ventricular Function, Left
    Metrics
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