The Impact Of Hypertension On The Electroanatomical Characteristics Of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Objective: To access the impact of hypertension on the electroanatomical characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).Methods: This study included 213 patients who underwent circumferential Pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) of AF, guided by a CARTO mapping system. The subjects were divided into Three groups according to their AF type, as follows: Group I: paroxysmal AF mapped in sinus rhythm (n=88), Group II: paroxysmal AF mapped in AF rhythm (n=48) and Group III: persistent AF (n=77), each group was divided into two subgroup according to with and without hypertension. The mean voltage, scar area, and low voltage zone were obtained by using a CARTO mapping system before ablation .Several parameters, including the gender, AF duration , left atrial (LA) diameter were analyzed.Results: In Group I, The non-hypertension group had a significantly higher LA bipolar voltage compared with the hypertension AF patients. (p<0.05), The LA bipolar voltage exhibited a significant reduction and less low voltage zone ( p<0.05) than the hypertension group. In Group II and III, the LA bipolar voltage exhibited a significant reduction (all p<0.05), and more low voltage zone (all p<0.05) could be observed in patients with hypertension. Interestingly, in spite of the AF substrates difference, the AF recurrence rate was similar in the patients with or without hypertension in the Group I, II, and III (all p>0.05).Conclusion:Hypertension has a significant impact on the LA substrate of AF. However, these substrates haven't exhibited impact on the outcome of AF ablation. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between these substrate changes and AF genesis in hypertension patients.