Structural Heterogeneity Alone Is a Sufficient Substrate for Dynamic Instability and Altered Restitution

BACKGROUND—Marked changes in ventricular APD restitution and associated alternans rhythm have been demonstrated in structural heart disease (SHD). However, whether this is due to structural heterogeneity or regional variation in cellular properties remains uncertain. In this study, we address the hypothesis that the structural heterogeneity associated with SHD is sufficient to alter dynamic restitution and increase the probability of electric instability. METHODS AND RESULTS—Activation was simulated in a 14×14 mm domain in the presence and absence (control) of a central region containing nonuniform discontinuities resembling patchy fibrosis. A modified LR1 cardiac activation model was used in a bidomain formulation with isotropic conductivities. Bipolar stimulation was imposed above the central region with coupling intervals decreasing progressively from 500 ms and then maintained at 105 ms. Structural discontinuities had little effect on electric activation at low stimulus rates, but activation time and APD distributions became highly nonuniform within and adjacent to the discontinuous region at high rates. Discordant APD alternans occurred in both “fibrosis” and control, but at lower stimulus rates and with markedly greater extent in the former. Tortuous conduction through the discontinuous region resulted in large fluctuations of diastolic intervals giving rise to regional electric instability, which modulates dynamic conduction velocity and APD restitution. This led to heterogeneous conduction block and reentry not observed in control. CONCLUSIONS—We show that structural discontinuities can amplify discordant alternans and provide a rate-dependent substrate for reentry. This work provides new insights into the mechanisms by which fibrosis may contribute to arrhythmogenesis.