3.1 Patient characteristics
We enrolled 633 AF patients who underwent a PVI from September 2014 to
June 2018 in our hospital. The clinical characteristics of the patients
in the LRAF and non-LRAF groups are shown in Table 1. The age, body
surface area, ratio of hypertension, and diabetes mellitus did not
differ significantly between the two groups. The ratio of females,
chronic heart failure, and a history of a stroke were higher in the LRAF
group than non-LRAF group (p=0.024, p=0.040, p=0.037, respectively).
There was a significant difference in the CHADS2 VASC score between the
two groups (p=0.023) due to the ratio of females. The ratio of PAF was
higher in the LRAF group than non-LRAF group (p<0.001). Plasma
brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level was significantly higher in LRAF
group than in non-LRAF group (195.2 ± 217.5 pg/ml vs 144.7 ± 169.3
pg/ml, p=0.003). In the echocardiographic parameter, left ventricular
end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter
(LVDs), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) did not differ
significantly between the two groups. The mean left atrium diameter
(LAD) was 45.8 ± 5.27 mm and 44.1 ± 6.16 mm in the LRAF and non-LRAF
groups, respectively (p=0.003). The ratio of severe mitral regurgitation
(MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) did not differ between the two
groups.