Frequency spectrum correlation along atria to study atrial fibrillation recurrence

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal heart rhythm originated in the top chambers of the heart. The goal of pulmonary vein ablation for AF is regaining a normal heart rhythm; nevertheless restoration sinus rhythm is difficult to prognostic. Frequency spectrum was calculated from electrical activity registered along all the atria. We investigate whether there were differences between atrial electrical activity spectrum from both atria in recurrent and non-recurrent AF groups. The database includes intracardiac recordings from 43 paroxysmal and persistent AF patients submitted to an ablation procedure. All patients were monitored after ablation, and were divided in 2 groups according to AF recurrence outcome: 26 of them remained in sinus rhythm, whereas the other 17 turned back to AF. Results showed a stronger correlation between atrial activity frequency spectrum from dipoles located in the left atrium and in the right atrium in the non-recurrent group than in the recurrent AF group. In addition, statistical significant differences were found between atrial activity frequency spectrum correlation between dipoles located in the left and right atria in the non-recurrent and recurrent AF groups. These findings show the more regular atrial activity along the atria in the patients with non-recurrences in AF.