Electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of atrial fibrillation organized into atrial flutter by oral administration of class I antiarrhythmic agents.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the electrocardiographic (ECG) and electrophysiological characteristics of atrial fibrillation (AF) that organized into atrial flutter during oral administration of class I antiarrhythmic agents. The former clinical study included 72 consecutive patients (58 paroxysmal AF, 14 persistent AF) in whom class I antiarrhythmic agents were orally administered in the outpatient clinic for termination or prophylaxis of AF. The clinical background and ECG variables were compared between the patients with and without atrial flutter during class I antiarrhythmic agents therapy. An electrophysiological study was performed in ten patients with paroxysmal AF (five with [group A] and five without atrial flutter [group B] during oral class I antiarrhythmic agents therapy. Local electrograms from five different atrial sites (high and low right free wall, high and low septum, and distal coronary sinus) were analyzed during induced AF. The activation pattern of the right free wall during AF was also analyzed using a Halo catheter. Atrial flutter was documented during class I antiarrhythmic agents therapy in 14 (24%) patients with paroxysmal AF, whereas in none with persistent AF. The mean cycle length (f-f interval) and amplitude of the fibrillation waves in leads II and V1 from the surface ECG were significantly greater in the patients with than in those without atrial flutter. In the electrophysiological study, the mean cycle lengths for the low and high right free wall were significantly longer in group A than in group B, whereas those for the low septums and distal coronary sinus did not differ between the two groups. During the induced AF, the ratio of time exhibiting a consistent activation pattern (cranio-caudal, caudo-cranial, or undetermined) along the right free wall was significantly greater in group A than in group B. Atrial flutter newly developed during class I antiarrhythmic agents therapy in patients with coarse AF on the surface ECG and a relatively organized activation in the right atrial free wall. The observation of these findings may facilitate the identification of candidates for hybrid pharmacologic and ablative therapies.