Purpose: We aimed to identify predictors of atrial fibrillation recurrence after conversion to sinus rhythm.
Material/methods: We included 100 patients with a history of documented atrial fibrillation in the last 12 months that were assessed by transthoracic echocardiography, 12-lead electrocardiogram and signal averaged electrocardiogram of the P wave. Follow-up was 7.3 ± 2.2 months.
Results: Atrial fibrillation recurrence was documented in 27 patients. It was more frequent in patients with longer duration of previous atrial fibrillation episode, with increased left atrium size and left ventricular mass, and it was correlated with the filtered P wave duration and Integral of the P wave.
Conclusions: Signal averaged ECG of the P wave, left atrium size and left ventricular mass determined by echocardiography could be helpful in predicting the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence after conversion.
Keywords: P wave; atrial fibrillation; signal-averaged ECG.