Rotor hypothesis in the time chain of atrial fibrillation.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Xu CH
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9068591 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Rotor hypothesis in the time chain of atrial fibrillation.
Journal of geriatric cardiology : JGC 20220401 4
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Project description:This case illustrates that the condition of atrial fibrillation (AF) may harbor site(s) of regular rotational activity, reentry may be an underlying mechanism, high periodicity and wavebreak through areas of the scar may generate fibrillatory conduction, and disintegration of the "rotor" may not abolish AF.
| S-EPMC9292734 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains challenging despite significant progress in understanding its underlying mechanisms. The first detailed, quantitative theory of functional re-entry, the 'leading circle' model, was developed more than 40 years ago. Subsequently, in decades of study, an alternative paradigm based on spiral waves has long been postulated to drive AF. The rotor as a 'spiral wave generator' is a curved 'vortex' formed by spin motion in the two-dimensional plane, identified using advanced mapping methods in experimental and clinical AF. However, it is challenging to achieve complementary results between experimental results and clinical studies due to the limitation in research methods and the complexity of the rotor mechanism. Here, we review knowledge garnered over decades on generation, electrophysiological properties, and three-dimensional (3D) structure diversity of the rotor mechanism and make a comparison among recent clinical approaches to identify rotors. Although initial studies of rotor ablation at many independent centres have achieved promising results, some inconclusive outcomes exist in others. We propose that the clinical rotor identification might be substantially influenced by (i) non-identical surface activation patterns, which resulted from a diverse 3D form of scroll wave, and (ii) inadequate resolution of mapping techniques. With rapidly advancing theoretical and technological developments, future work is required to resolve clinically relevant limitations in current basic and clinical research methodology, translate from one to the other, and resolve available mapping techniques.
| S-EPMC10062333 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC4048536 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Extracellular electrograms recorded during atrial fibrillation (AF) are challenging to interpret due to the inherent beat-to-beat variability in amplitude and duration. Phase mapping represents these voltage signals in terms of relative position within the cycle, and has been widely applied to action potential and unipolar electrogram data of myocardial fibrillation. To date, however, it has not been applied to bipolar recordings, which are commonly acquired clinically. The purpose of this study is to present a novel algorithm for calculating phase from both unipolar and bipolar electrograms recorded during AF. A sequence of signal filters and processing steps are used to calculate phase from simulated, experimental, and clinical, unipolar and bipolar electrograms. The algorithm is validated against action potential phase using simulated data (trajectory centre error <0.8 mm); between experimental multi-electrode array unipolar and bipolar phase; and for wavefront identification in clinical atrial tachycardia. For clinical AF, similar rotational content (R 2 = 0.79) and propagation maps (median correlation 0.73) were measured using either unipolar or bipolar recordings. The algorithm is robust, uses standard signal processing techniques, and accurately quantifies AF wavefronts and sources. Identifying critical sources, such as rotors, in AF, may allow for more accurate targeting of ablation therapy and improved patient outcomes.
| S-EPMC5362653 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundRadiofrequency ablation therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) recently incorporated the analysis of dominant frequency (DF) and/or electrogram fractionation for guidance. However, the relationships between DF, fractionation, and spatiotemporal characteristics of the AF source remain unclear.ObjectiveWe hypothesize that a meandering reentrant AF source contributes to the wave fractionation and is reflected in the power spectrum of local electrograms elsewhere in the rotor's surroundings.MethodsMeandering rotors as AF sources were simulated in 2-dimensional models of human atrial tissue and recorded in isolated sheep hearts. Nondominant elements of the signals were differentiated from the dominant elements using singular value decomposition, whereby the purely periodic constituent (PC) relating to the rotor's DF was eliminated rendering a residual constituent (RC) that consisted of all other activity.ResultsSpectral analysis of the decomposed constituents revealed peaks corresponding to the meandering frequency of the rotor tip, the magnitudes of which were proportional to the size of and the distance to the rotor core. Similar analyses on epicardial optical signals and electrograms from isolated sheep hearts, as well as human complex fractionated atrial electrograms, showed applicability of the approach.ConclusionIncreased meandering of the rotor driving AF reduces activation periodicity and increases fractionation. The spectral manifestation of the rotor activity beyond the meandering region makes it possible to characterize AF source stability, as well as DF in humans using electrode mapping.
| S-EPMC3079377 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMoe and Abildskov proposed the multiple wavelet hypothesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the basis of observations in the canine vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) AF model. Data from mapping studies in an in vitro canine AF model by Allessie et al (Allessie MA, Lammers WJEP, Bonke FIM, Hollen SJ. Experimental evaluation of Moe's multiple wavelet hypothesis of atrial fibrillation. In: Zipes DP, Jalife J, eds. Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias. Orlando, FL: Grune & Stratton; 1985:265-275.) were used to evaluate the Moe/Abildskov hypothesis, which revealed that a critical number of wavelets sustained AF.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to reassess VNS mapping data using the same methods used by Allessie to evaluate Moe's multiple wavelet hypothesis.MethodsUsing the canine VNS AF model in 6 dogs, 510 unipolar atrial electrograms were recorded simultaneously from both atria. Activation sequence maps were produced from sustained AF during VNS in each dog. Per Allessie, consecutive 10 ms activation windows were analyzed over a period of 300 ms. Repetitive activation analysis was applied to Moe's canine VNS AF model.ResultsThe number of wavefronts in each AF episode was 0-8 in Allessie's studies measured by sequential atrial mapping and 0-10 in our biatrial simultaneous mapping studies. In both studies, an electrically silent period was observed in each atrium and was reactivated by wavefronts emanating from focal sources. Allessie postulated that an electrically silent atrium was reactivated by a wavefront propagating from the other atrium. However, in our biatrial simultaneous mapping studies, each electrically silent atrium was reactivated by a distinct focal source.ConclusionData from both studies showed a similar number of wavefronts, similar AF activation patterns, and periods of electrical atrial silence reactivated by focal sources. Also, in our studies, independent focal sources initiated wavefronts reactivating the atria, thereby explaining the mechanism maintaining AF.
| S-EPMC7606567 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeMulti-polar diagnostic catheters are used to construct the 3D electro-anatomic mapping of the atrium during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures; however, it remains unclear how to use the electrograms recorded by these catheters to locate AF-driving sites known as focal and rotor source types. The purpose of this study is to present the first algorithm to iteratively navigate a circular multi-polar catheter to locate AF focal and rotor sources without the need to map the entire atria.MethodsStarting from an initial location, the algorithm, which was blinded to the location and type of the AF source, iteratively advanced a Lasso catheter based on its electrogram characteristics. The algorithm stopped the catheter when it located of an AF source and identified the type. The efficiency of the algorithm is validated using a set of simulated focal and rotor-driven arrhythmias in fibrotic human 2D and 3D atrial tissue.ResultsOur study shows the feasibility of locating AF sources with a success rate of greater than 95.25% within average 7.56 ± 2.28 placements independently of the initial position of the catheter and the source type.ConclusionsThe algorithm could play a critical role in clinical electrophysiology laboratories for mapping patient-specific ablation of AF sources located outside the pulmonary veins and improving the procedure success.
| S-EPMC6527788 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesThis study was to test the hypotheses that: 1) when using phase analysis, repetitive Wannabe re-entry produces a phase singularity point (i.e., a rotor); and 2) the location of the stable rotor is close to the focal source.BackgroundRecent contact mapping studies in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) demonstrated that phase analysis produced a different mechanistic result than classical activation sequence analysis. Our studies in patients with persistent AF showed that focal sources sometimes produced repetitive Wannabe re-entry, that is, incomplete re-entry.MethodsDuring open heart surgery, we recorded activation from both atria simultaneously using 510 to 512 electrodes in 12 patients with persistent AF. We performed activation sequence mapping and phase analyses on 4 s of mapped data. For each detected stable rotor (>2 full rotations [720°] recurring at the same site), the corresponding activation patterns were examined from the activation sequence maps.ResultsDuring AF, phase singularity points (rotors) were identified in both atria in all patients. However, stable phase singularity points were only present in 6 of 12 patients. The range of stable phase singularity points per patient was 0 to 6 (total 14). Stable phase singularity points were produced due to repetitive Wannabe re-entry generated from a focal source or by passive activation. A conduction block sometimes created a stable phase singularity point (n = 2). The average distance between a focal source and a stable rotor was 0.9 ± 0.3 cm.ConclusionsRepetitive Wannabe re-entry generated stable rotors adjacent to a focal source. No true re-entry occurred.
| S-EPMC8319037 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundRotors are the source of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the ablation of rotors for persistent AF is challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify the dominant rotor by accelerating the organization of AF using a sodium channel blocker and detecting the rotor's preferential area that governs AF.MethodsOverall, 30 consecutive patients with persistent AF who underwent pulmonary vein isolation and still sustained AF were enrolled. Pilsicainide 50 mg was administered. An online real-time phase mapping system (ExTRa Mapping™) was used to identify the meandering rotors and multiple wavelets in 11 left atrial segments. The time ratio of non-passive activation (%NP) was evaluated as the frequency of rotor activity in each segment.ResultsConduction velocity became slower-from 0.46 ± 0.14 to 0.35 ± 0.14 mm/ms (p = .004)-and the rotational period of the rotor was significantly prolonged-156 ± 21 to 193 ± 28 ms/cycle (p < .001). AF cycle length was prolonged from 169 ± 19 to 223 ± 29 ms (p < .001). A decrease in %NP was observed in seven segments. Additionally, 14 patients had at least one complete passive activation area. Of them, the use of high %NP area ablation resulted in atrial tachycardia and sinus rhythm in two patients each.ConclusionsA sodium channel blocker organized persistent AF. In selective patients with a wide organized area, high %NP area ablation could convert AF into atrial tachycardia or terminate AF.
| S-EPMC10264751 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAdditional ablation strategies after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for patients with nonparoxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-PAF) lasting ≥2 years have not been fully effective. This is presumably because of insufficient identification of non-PAF maintenance mechanisms. In this study, we employed a novel online and real-time phase mapping system, ExTRa Mapping, to identify and modulate rotors as one of the non-PAF maintenance mechanisms in patients with non-PAF sustained after PVI. We investigated the relationship between outcomes of ExTRa Mapping-guided rotor ablation (ExTRa-ABL) and non-PAF duration prior to this procedure.MethodsThis study consisted of 73 non-PAF patients (63 ± 8 years, non-PAF duration 31 ± 37 months) who underwent the first ExTRa-ABL in patients with non-PAF sustained after completion of PVI.ResultsFreedom from non-PAF/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence at 12 months after ExTRa-ABL was achieved in 50 (69%) of patients. The non-PAF duration prior to ExTRa-ABL was significantly longer in patients with non-PAF/AT recurrence after ExTRa-ABL compared with those without (56 ± 50 vs. 19 ± 22 months, p = .001). In patients with non-PAF duration of ≤60 months prior to ExTRa-ABL, compared with >60 months, non-PAF/AT-free rate was significantly higher (68.9% vs. 23.1%, p < .001), during the follow-up of 36 ± 18 months.ConclusionsA non-PAF duration of ≤60 months prior to ExTRa-ABL was associated with a better outcome. The effect of ExTRa-ABL was considered to be limited in patients with >60 months of non-PAF duration.
| S-EPMC10407168 | biostudies-literature