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Characteristics of patients with atrial flutter and spontaneous 1:1 atrioventricular conduction with and without anti-arrhythmic drug treatment
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  • Kanako Ito-Hagiwara,
  • Yu-ki Iwasaki,
  • Yuhi Fujimoto,
  • Eiichiro Oka,
  • Hiroshi Hayashi,
  • Teppei Yamamoto,
  • Kenji Yodogawa,
  • Meiso Hayashi,
  • Yasushi Miyauchi,
  • Wataru Shimizu
Kanako Ito-Hagiwara
Nippon Medical School
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Yu-ki Iwasaki
Nippon Medical School

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Yuhi Fujimoto
Nippon Medical School
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Eiichiro Oka
Nippon Medical School
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Hiroshi Hayashi
Nippon Medical School
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Teppei Yamamoto
Nippon Medical School
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Kenji Yodogawa
Nippon Medical School
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Meiso Hayashi
Nippon Medical School
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Yasushi Miyauchi
Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital
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Wataru Shimizu
Nippon Medical School
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Abstract

Background: Atrial flutter (AFL) is a large re-entrant circuit located in the right atrium. Anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) can provoke AFL with 1:1 atrioventricular conduction (AVC) to cause hemodynamic collapse. We elucidated the characteristics of patients with AFL exhibiting spontaneous 1:1 AVC. Methods: Fifteen patients (1:1 AFL group; 11 males, 52.4±13.7 years old) who documented AFL with 1:1 AVC were enrolled and compared to 77 patients without 1:1 AVC (Control group; 71 males, 68.1±10.9 years old). Results: The use of AADs was greater in the 1:1 AFL group than in the control group (60.0 vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001). AFL cycle length during maximum AVC was significantly longer in the 1:1 AFL group than in the control group (274.7 ± 37.0 vs. 220.4 ± 26.2 msec, p < 0.001). Among 1:1 AVC group, 9 patients had AADs and AFL cycle length was significantly longer during 1:1 AVC as compared with 2:1 AVC documented the other day (284.4 ± 41.3 vs. 233.3 ± 26.0 msec, p <0.001), suggesting enhancement effect of the AADs during 1:1 AVC. Remaining 6 patients who did not take AADs, 2 patients showed enlargement of the tricuspid annulus and 3 patients developed 1:1 AVC during exercise. Conclusions: In addition to the enhancement of AAD effect, prolonged AFL cycle length associated with enlargement of the tricuspid annulus and shortened refractory period of the AV node might increase the risk of 1:1 AVC during AFL. Keywords: atrial flutter, atrial flutter cycle length, tricuspid annulus. Atrioventricular node, atrioventricular conduction, anti-arrhythmic drug