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Analysis of surface electrocardiograms in atrial fibrillation: techniques, research, and clinical applications

Bollmann, Andreas LU ; Husser, Daniela ; Mainardi, Luca ; Lombardi, Federico ; Langley, Philip ; Murray, Alan ; Rieta, Jose Joaquin ; Millet, Jose ; Olsson, Bertil LU and Stridh, Martin LU , et al. (2006) In Europace 8(11). p.911-926
Abstract
Atrial. fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Neither the natural history of AF nor its response to therapy is sufficiently predictable by clinical and echocardiographic parameters. The purpose of this article is to describe technical aspects of novel electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis techniques and to present research and clinical applications of these methods for characterization of both the fibrillatory process and the ventricular response during AF Atrial fibrillatory frequency (or rate) can reliably be assessed from the surface ECG using digital signal processing (extraction of atrial, signals and spectral analysis). This measurement shows large inter-individual variability and correlates... (More)
Atrial. fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Neither the natural history of AF nor its response to therapy is sufficiently predictable by clinical and echocardiographic parameters. The purpose of this article is to describe technical aspects of novel electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis techniques and to present research and clinical applications of these methods for characterization of both the fibrillatory process and the ventricular response during AF Atrial fibrillatory frequency (or rate) can reliably be assessed from the surface ECG using digital signal processing (extraction of atrial, signals and spectral analysis). This measurement shows large inter-individual variability and correlates well with intra-atriat cycle length, a parameter which appears to have primary importance in AF maintenance and response to therapy. AF with a tow fibrillatory rate is more likely to terminate spontaneously and responds better to antiarrhythmic drugs or cardioversion, whereas high-rate AF is more often persistent and refractory to therapy. Ventricular responses during AF can be characterized by a variety of methods, which include analysis of heart rate variability, RR-interval histograms, Lorenz plots, and non-linear dynamics. These methods have all shown a certain degree of usefulness, either in scientific explorations of atrioventricular (AV) nodal function or in selected clinical questions such as predicting response to drugs, cardioversion, or AV nodal modification. The role of the autonomic nervous system for AF sustenance and termination, as well as for ventricular rate responses, can be explored by different ECG analysis methods. In conclusion, non-invasive characterization of atrial fibrillatory activity and ventricular response can be performed from the surface ECG in AF patients. Different signal processing techniques have been suggested for identification of underlying AF pathomechanisms and prediction of therapy efficacy. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
antiarrhythmic drug monitoring, electrical remodelling, atrial fibrillation, ECG signal processing, cardioversion, ablation
in
Europace
volume
8
issue
11
pages
911 - 926
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000242452900001
  • scopus:33750418673
ISSN
1532-2092
DOI
10.1093/europace/eul113
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3daeab50-5c3a-4976-9015-0b976f653d69 (old id 685252)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:16:22
date last changed
2022-03-05 21:22:11
@article{3daeab50-5c3a-4976-9015-0b976f653d69,
  abstract     = {{Atrial. fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Neither the natural history of AF nor its response to therapy is sufficiently predictable by clinical and echocardiographic parameters. The purpose of this article is to describe technical aspects of novel electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis techniques and to present research and clinical applications of these methods for characterization of both the fibrillatory process and the ventricular response during AF Atrial fibrillatory frequency (or rate) can reliably be assessed from the surface ECG using digital signal processing (extraction of atrial, signals and spectral analysis). This measurement shows large inter-individual variability and correlates well with intra-atriat cycle length, a parameter which appears to have primary importance in AF maintenance and response to therapy. AF with a tow fibrillatory rate is more likely to terminate spontaneously and responds better to antiarrhythmic drugs or cardioversion, whereas high-rate AF is more often persistent and refractory to therapy. Ventricular responses during AF can be characterized by a variety of methods, which include analysis of heart rate variability, RR-interval histograms, Lorenz plots, and non-linear dynamics. These methods have all shown a certain degree of usefulness, either in scientific explorations of atrioventricular (AV) nodal function or in selected clinical questions such as predicting response to drugs, cardioversion, or AV nodal modification. The role of the autonomic nervous system for AF sustenance and termination, as well as for ventricular rate responses, can be explored by different ECG analysis methods. In conclusion, non-invasive characterization of atrial fibrillatory activity and ventricular response can be performed from the surface ECG in AF patients. Different signal processing techniques have been suggested for identification of underlying AF pathomechanisms and prediction of therapy efficacy.}},
  author       = {{Bollmann, Andreas and Husser, Daniela and Mainardi, Luca and Lombardi, Federico and Langley, Philip and Murray, Alan and Rieta, Jose Joaquin and Millet, Jose and Olsson, Bertil and Stridh, Martin and Sörnmo, Leif}},
  issn         = {{1532-2092}},
  keywords     = {{antiarrhythmic drug monitoring; electrical remodelling; atrial fibrillation; ECG signal processing; cardioversion; ablation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{911--926}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Europace}},
  title        = {{Analysis of surface electrocardiograms in atrial fibrillation: techniques, research, and clinical applications}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/europace/eul113}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/europace/eul113}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}