Introduction
Low voltage areas (LVA) in the left atrium (LA) are well documented in
electrophysiology studies and reported as an arrythmogenic substrate
operating in atrial fibrillation (AF) and suggested as fibrotic areas
[1]. To date, there has been limited research evaluating the
predictors of the LVA among long-standing persistent AF (LSPAF)
patients. Recently, it was
established that LA size and function do not correlate with LVA burden
in this population [2]. The relationship between the LVA documented
in the LA and right atrial (RA) size and function remains unknown.
Moreover, in contrast to the LA, RA structure and function are not as
well described in patients with LSPSAF. In this study we aimed to
determine RA parameters among LSPSAF population and hypothesised that
echocardiography derived RA indices may be helpful to detect LA LVA
acquired with high-density and high-resolution bipolar voltage mapping
in addition to LA parameters.