Age-dependent effects of chronic atrial fibrillation remodeling in population of human atrial cardiomyocyte models

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a widespread heart disease which prevalence increases essentially in the elderly. In this study, we combined age-related changes in cardiomyocytes electrophysiology with the effects of chronic atrial fibrillation on the population of human atrial cell models. Our age-dependent populations of models are able to reproduce experimentally observed effects of aging on action potential (AP) and calcium transient (CaT) morphology. Simulation of AF remodeling in aging models allowed us to reproduce specific shortening of AP duration on a 90% level, an increase in AP plateau, and a reduction in CaT amplitude. Our modeling results predict the increased risk of sustained arrhythmia in the elderly group of models.