Fibrillatory Wave Amplitude Research Articles

Relationship of atrial fibrillatory wave amplitude to left atrial size and etiology of heart disease: An old generalization re-examined

It is commonly stated that coarse f waves in atrial fibrillation suggest the presence of rheumatic heart disease and large left atrial size, whereas fine f waves indicate non-rheumatic disease and small left atrial size. Using echocardiography as a more reliable indicator of left atrial size, 37 consecutive patients with chronic atrial fibrillation were evaluated. The correlation coefficients between left atrial size and maximum f wave amplitude was −0.12 and −0.07, using average f wave amplitude. Only 53 per cent (9 of 17) of patients with rheumatic heart disease had f wave > 1 mm. and 56 per cent (10 of 18) of patients with f wave size ≤ 1 mm. had non-rheumatic disease. This study refutes the contention that the f wave amplitude in atrial fibrillation is correlated with either left atrial size or etiology of heart disease. It is possible that an intra-atrial conduction defect is responsible for coarse f wave morphology.

Left atrial size in patients with atrial fibrillation: an echocardiographic study.

Left atrial dimensions were recorded echocardiographically in 50 patients with atrial fibrillation. Fibrillatory wave amplitude (f wave) was measured in lead V1 of standard electrocardiograms for all patients. Left atrial dimensions (LAD), LAD compared to body surface area (LAD/M2) and the ratio of LAD to aortic root diameter (LAD/AR) were calculated. There was no significant correlation between f wave size and LAD (p = 0.6480), between f wave size and LAD/M2 (p = .6721), or between f wave size and LAD/AR (p = .1157), nor was there any association between LAD and the etiology of the heart disease. F wave size did correlate (p = .0073) with the age of the patient, the older the individual, the more likely was he to have fine atrial fibrillation (peak to trough f wave less than 0.5 mm).