Baroreflex Sensitivity in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background It has been reported that atrial fibrillation (AF) may contribute to impairment of baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). However, the difference of BRS between patients with persistent AF (PeAF) and those with paroxysmal AF (PAF) is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that patients with PeAF have a more impaired BRS compared with those with PAF. Methods and Results From October 2015 onwards, a total of 67 patients (14 women [20.9%]; mean age 65.2±10.1 years) with PAF (n=46, 68.7%) and PeAF (n=21, 31.3%), who underwent catheter ablation, were prospectively enrolled. The baseline BRS was evaluated during sinus rhythm. The baseline BRS in patients with PeAF was significantly lower than those with PAF (2.97 [0.52-6.62] ms/mm Hg versus 4.70 [2.36-8.37] ms/mm Hg, =0.047). The BRS was significantly depressed after catheter ablation in all the patients (4.66 [1.80-7.37] ms/mm Hg versus 0.55 [-0.15 to 1.22] ms/mm Hg,