Can Atrial Fibrillation Cause MR?

In patients with AF and normal-leaflet-motion MR, those who were in sinus rhythm after AF ablation had less MR than those with recurrent AF.

Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) with normal leaflet motion is typically caused by annular dilation associated with left ventricular (LV) enlargement. In the present study, investigators postulated that normal-leaflet-motion MR can also result from annular dilation associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition they termed “atrial functional MR.” They retrospectively screened 828 patients undergoing first AF ablation to identify 53 (6.4%) with moderate or greater MR and normal leaflet motion. All patients had LV ejection fractions ≥50%.

Compared with a randomly selected reference cohort with mild or no MR, subjects were older and more likely to have persistent AF and hypertension. Of the patient characteristics included in multiva…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI