Vnitr Lek 1990, 36(8):753-758

[Does the left atrial dimension predict the short-term effect of electric cardioversion?].

B Stancák, J Pella, J Resetár, M Dubíková, M Palinský, J Bodnár

Geriatrická klinika Fakultnej nemocnice s poliklinikou Krajského ústavu národného zdravia, Kosice.

The authors evaluate in their retrospective investigation the influence of the left atrium, assessed by echocardiography, on the short-term effect of electric cardioversion in auricular fibrillation. The group comprises 44 patients divided into four groups: ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy and specific myocardial affection, mitral stenosis and idiopathic fibrillation. The authors did not find a significant difference between the left atrial diameter in patients with successful electric cardioversion (ECV) (44.4 +/- 8.2 mm) and patients with not successful ECV (43.4 +/- 6.7 mm). The authors did not prove the influence of age and aetiology of fibrillation on the effect of ECV. The size of the left atrium alone does not possess a significant predictive value when estimating the short-term effect of ECV.

Keywords: Adult; Aged; Atrial Fibrillation, diagnostic imaging, ; Echocardiography; Electric Countershock, adverse effects, ; Female; Heart Atria, diagnostic imaging, ; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors

Published: August 1, 1990  Show citation