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Digitalis Does not Improve Left Atrial Mechanical Dysfunction After Successful Electrical Cardioversion of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation

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Abstract

This study was designed to investigate whether administration of digitalis could improve mechanical function of left atrial appendage (LAA) and left atrium prospectively in patients with atrial stunning. Fifty-four consecutive patients in whom atrial stunning was observed immediately after cardioversion of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) were randomized into digitalis or control group for 1 week following cardioversion. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were performed prior to, immediately following, 1 day after and 1 week after cardioversion to measure transmitral flow velocity and LAA flow velocity. Electrical cardioversion of AF elicited significantly slower left atrial appendage peak emptying velocity (LAA-PEV) and peak filling velocity (LAA-PFV) immediately following cardioversion in both groups. 1 day post cardioversion, there were no significant differences in transmitral E wave, A wave, E/A ratio, LAA-PEV, LAA-PFV or left atrial appendage ejection fraction (LAA-EF) between digitalis and control groups. 1 week post cardioversion, no significant differences were found in transmitral E wave, A wave, E/A ratio, LAA-PEV, LAA-PFV or LAA-EF between the two groups. The occurrence rates of spontaneous echo contrast were not significantly different between digitalis and control groups one day and one week post cardioversion. In conclusion, digitalis did not improve left atrial and appendage mechanical dysfunction following cardioversion of chronic AF. Digitalis did not prevent the development of spontaneous echo contrast in left atrial chamber and appendage. This may be due to the fact that digitalis aggravates intracellular calcium overload induced by chronic AF and has a negative effect on ventricular rate.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by Grant Q20081208 from the Department of Education of Hubei Province, China. We are indebted to the participants in the Ultrasound Department in First People’s Hospital of Jingzhou for their outstanding commitment and cooperation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Renmin’s Hospital of Wuhan University, Ziyang Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, China

    Wang Yujing, Huang Congxin, Hu Xiaojun, Wu Gang & Xie Qiang

  2. Cardiovascular Department, The First People’s Hospital of Jingzhou, The First Affiliated Hospital of Changjiang University, Hangkong Road 8, Shashi Distict, Jingzhou, 434000, Hubei Province, China

    Yang Shaning & Jin Lijun

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  1. Wang Yujing
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Correspondence to Yang Shaning.

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Yujing, W., Congxin, H., Shaning, Y. et al. Digitalis Does not Improve Left Atrial Mechanical Dysfunction After Successful Electrical Cardioversion of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation. Cell Biochem Biophys 57, 27–34 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-010-9080-5

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