Increased inter-atrial and intra-atrial conduction times in pediatric patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract The global incidence of pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising, and it is linked to various potentially dangerous complications such as cardiovascular complications, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial electromechanical conduction delay (EMD) has been reported as an early predictor for AF development. This study aimed to explore the link between NAFLD and the increased risk of AF development. This cross-sectional study was performed on 100 newly diagnosed NAFLD children (aged 14–18 years) as the patient group and 100 healthy individuals as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography and simultaneous electrocardiography (ECG) recording were employed to estimate atrial electromechanical properties. EMD values were calculated for the inter-atrial, left intra-atrial, and right intra-atrial. Our results showed that pediatric patients with NAFLD exhibited significantly prolonged EMD values in the left and right intra-atrial as well as in inter-atrial regions compared to the control group ( P = 0.03, P < 0.001, P < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion : Children with NAFLD show atrial electromechanical alterations that may presage AF in adulthood. What is known: • The global incidence of pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising, and it is linked to various potentially dangerous complications such as cardiovascular complications, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF). • Atrial electromechanical conduction delay (EMD) has been reported as an early predictor for AF development. What is new: • Children with NAFLD show atrial electromechanical alterations that may presage the appearance of AF in adulthood. • These children require multidisciplinary medical care to control liver disease and cardiovascular complications.