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Introduction and objectives
Atrial tachycardia (AT) is a major late complication in congenital heart disease (CHD) after surgery. These arrhythmias arise between areas of anatomical barriers or in fibrotic tissue/scars. In our study we examined the clinical predictors of AT.
Methods
A retrospective study of cases and controls in adult patients with CHD was performed. We have included consecutively 71 patients with AT and 71 controls matched by gender, age and type of CHD located in the same database. Medical records, electrocardiograms and echocardiograms were reviewed. Multivariate analysis of the risk factor (logistic regression) and analysis of adverse cardiovascular events (Kaplan-Meier) were performed.
Results
Systolic pressure of subpulmonary ventricle ≥40mmHg (HR:7, 95%CI:2.4-18, p = 0.001), right atrium (RA) dilatation≥21cm2 (HR:3, 95%CI:1.2-7.6, p = 0.005), significant tricuspid regurgitation (HR:4, 95%CI:1.3-10, p = 0.018) were identified as main risk factors for AT. Patients with AT had worse outcomes with more major adverse cardiovascular events (86% vs 14%, P = 0.006), and a 58% free survival events compared to 98% of patients without AT at 8 years of follow-up (p = 0.01). The treatment of the first episode of AT was electrical cardioversion (38%), pharmacological cardioversion (13%), heart rate control (20%). Antiarrhythmic treatment was not been given in 30% of the patients 73% of them had percutaneous ablation as first choice treatment. Ablation was performed in 40 pacientes and 6 patients have recurrences. In total, 24 patients have recurrences of AT. Previous Maze (OR 9 (IC al 95% 1.5, 50), p = 0.016) and surgical paliative shunt (OR 21 (IC al 95% 2.3,192), p = 0.007) were identified as main risk factor for AT recurrences.
Conclusions
The main risk factors identified for AT were RA dilatation, raised systolic pressure of subpulmonary ventricle and significant tricuspid regurgitation. The main risk factors for AT recurrences were previous Maze and surgical paliative shunt. Early treatment of these arrhythmic problems is mandatory in order to improve the prognosis in this group of patients.
Abstract P1582 Figure. Central illustration of AT in CHD
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