Electrical and Structural Remodelling in Atrial Fibrillation: Phenotypes for Personalized therapy

About this Research Topic

Background

Background:

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained arrhythmia, afflicting millions of patients worldwide. Unfortunately, the success of AF therapy remains modest, in part due to the challenges of translating advances in basic science to the bedside. Atrial remodeling is a widely acknowledged process that accelerates the susceptibility to and progression of AF, and comprises electrical and structural components. An increasingly recognized structural component is fibrotic atrial myopathy (FAM), which describes interstitial and replacement fibrosis. However, it is unclear which clinical tools best define remodeling, and whether electrical and structural components progress independently or in concert. Delineation of electrical and structural remodeling of the atria may be central to breakthroughs in therapy and the foundation to tailor therapy for personalized medicine.

Details for Authors:

This Research Topic is open to original research and review articles on the clinical implications of electrical and structural remodeling in AF. It is intended that the collection include cutting edge and emerging content areas. This includes electrical remodeling, delineated by AF mapping or translational large animal models. Structurally, this includes characterization of abnormalities including FAM. Contributions in this collection will also provide a foundation for personalized therapy of AF. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to the following:

- optimal voltage cutpoints to define FAM and FAM heterogeneity
- determinants of bipolar voltage and their effect on voltage mapping
- relationship of FAM with conduction velocity and repolarization heterogeneity
- relationship of FAM with atrial size
- relationship of FAM with clinical AF risk markers (e.g. sleep apnea, hypertension, age, sex, CHF)
- novel surface P- and f-wave ECG metrics to quantify FAM
- novel profibrotic biomarkers and relationship to FAM and clinical AF risk markers
- novel non-invasive imaging strategies to define FAM
- novel artificial intelligence based-markers to characterize electroanatomic remodelling
- novel FAM-guided catheter ablation strategies for AF

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, Fibrosis, Structural remodelling, Electrical remodelling, Catheter ablation, Mapping

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