[Recovery of mechanical atrial function following atrial fibrillation].

To evaluated the recovery of atrial function following atrial fibrillation, we followed 66 patients with atrial fibrillation cardioverted to sinus rhythm. Over 3 months of follow-up we performed transmitral pulsed Doppler echocardiography. The results were evaluated according to the etiology, duration of atrial fibrillation, left atrial dimension and modality of cardioversion. We observed a significant increase in both peak A wave velocity and percent atrial contribution to total left ventricular filling after 1 month in hypertensive patients and after 3 months in ischemic patients. The recovery of atrial mechanical function was earlier in patients with recent atrial fibrillation (< 24 hours) and in patients with normal left atrium. These results may have implications in guiding the duration of anticoagulant therapy after cardioversion.