Left ventricular beat-to-beat performance in atrial fibrillation: contribution of Frank-Starling mechanism after short rather than long RR intervals

Autor: Kong I. Lie, A. T. M. Gosselink, PJ de Kam, Hans L. Hillege, F.L. Meijler, I. C. Van Gelder, Pk Blanksma, Harry J.G.M. Crijns, M.G. Niemeijer
Rok vydání: 1995
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 26(6)
ISSN: 0735-1097
Popis: Objectives.This study sought to evaluate control mechanisms of the varying left ventricular performance in atrial fibrillation.Background.Atrial fibrillation is characterized by a randomly irregular ventricular response, resulting in continuous variation in left ventricular beat-to-beat mechanical behavior and hemodynamic variables.Methods.Fourteen patients with chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were studied, using a nonimaging computerized nuclear probe linked to a personal computer. Left ventricular ejection fraction, end-diastolic and end-systolic volume counts, stroke volume counts and filling time were calculated on a beat-to-beat basis during 500 consecutive RR intervals. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess how ejection fraction was predicted by these variables.Results.The preceding RR interval and end-diastolic volume showed a positive relation, and prepreceding interval and end-systolic volume an inverse relation, with ejection fraction (all p < 0.0001). Sensitivity analysis suggested that the preceding interval and the end-diastolic volume were equally important in predicting ejection fraction. There was a relatively strong interaction between the preceding interval and end-diastolic volume, indicating that the influence of the end-diastolic volume on ejection fraction was diminished after long intervals. A second interaction showed that the effect of end-diastolic volume on ejection fraction was attenuated after short prepreceding cycles.Conclusions.Cycle length-dependent contractile mechanisms, including postextrasystolic potentiation and mechanical restitution, determine the varying left ventricular systolic performance during atrial fibrillation over the entire range of intervals. Beatto-beat changes in preload, consistent with the Frank-Starling mechanism, also play a role, but their influence is diminished after long preceding and short prepreceding intervals.
Databáze: OpenAIRE