Automatic Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Atrial Function for Prediction of Low-Voltage Areas in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

Shuai Chang,1 Xiaofeng Zhang,1 Chenliang Ge,2 Yanfen Zhong,1 Decai Zeng,1 Yongzhi Cai,1 Tongtong Huang,1 Ji Wu1 1Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ji Wu, Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No. 6 Shuangyong Road Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15773435752, Email [email protected]: Left atrial low-voltage areas (LA-LVAs) identified by 3D-electroanatomical mapping are crucial for determining treatment strategies and prognosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, convenient and accurate prediction of LA-LVAs remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the viability of utilizing automatically obtained echocardiographic parameters to predict the presence of LA-LVAs in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 190 NVAF patients who underwent initial catheter ablation. Before ablation, echocardiographic data were obtained, left atrial volume and strain were automatically calculated using advanced software (Dynamic-HeartModel and AutoStrain). Electroanatomic mapping (EAM) was also performed. Results were compared between patients with LA-LVAs ≥ 5% (LVAs group) and < 5% (non-LVAs group).Results: LA-LVAs were observed in 81 patients (42.6%), with a significantly higher incidence in those with persistent AF than paroxysmal AF (55.6% vs 19.3%, P