text: Segmental atrial contraction in patients restored to sinus rhythm after cardioversion for chronic atrial fibrillation: a colour Doppler tissue imaging study.
  AIMS:
  There is little known about segmental atrial function in patients with atrial arrhythmias. We evaluated segmental atrial contractility using colour Doppler tissue imaging (CDTI) in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) who were successfully restored and maintained in sinus rhythm (SR).
  METHODS AND RESULTS:
  We compared the segmental atrial contractility in 39 CAF patients who were successfully cardioverted and maintained in SR for 6 months. Follow up echocardiograms were performed at baseline, 1 week, 1 month and 6 months and compared to a normal age matched cohort (n = 34). Using CDTI, mean peak velocities of atrial contraction were measured from annular, mid and superior segments of lateral and septal walls of the left atrium and right atrium in the apical four-chamber view. Segmental velocities from the posterior and anterior walls of the left atrium were measured from the apical two-chamber view. Segmental left atrial velocities improved over time in the CAF group, with the majority of the recovery occurring in the first month, but failed to normalise even at 6 months. In comparison, the right atrial velocities in the AF group had normalised at 1 month.
  CONCLUSION:
  Patients with CAF have persistent segmental left atrial dysfunction even 6 months after restoration and maintenance of SR, though right atrial velocities appear to normalise. This differential recovery indicates that left atrial function remains subnormal in patients with CAF despite maintenance of SR, suggesting underlying atrial myopathy or fibrosis as a consequence of CAF.
  
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T1
entities: ['sinus']
entities: Immaterial_anatomical_entity
entities: PMID-17241819_T2
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T3
entities: ['tissue']
entities: Tissue
entities: PMID-17241819_T4
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T5
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T6
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T7
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T8
entities: ['tissue']
entities: Tissue
entities: PMID-17241819_T9
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T10
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T11
entities: ['lateral']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T12
entities: ['septal walls']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T13
entities: ['left atrium']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T14
entities: ['right atrium']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T15
entities: ['left atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T16
entities: ['right atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T17
entities: ['left atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T18
entities: ['right atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T19
entities: ['left atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T20
entities: ['atrial']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T21
entities: ['sinus']
entities: Immaterial_anatomical_entity
entities: PMID-17241819_T22
entities: ['left atrium']
entities: Multi-tissue_structure
entities: PMID-17241819_T23