The Relationship between Atrial Fibrillation and Reduced Lung Function

Korean J Med > Volume 71(1); 2006 > Article

Review

The Korean Journal of Medicine 2006;71(1):290-290.

The Relationship between Atrial Fibrillation and Reduced Lung Function

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1Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul; 2Department of Life Science, Postech Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea

The Relationship between Atrial Fibrillation and Reduced Lung Function

Cheol Whan Lee, , , , , , , , , , ,

Abstract

Background : Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been associated with a high frequency of various cardiac arrhythmias, it is not uncommon to find atrial fibrillation (AF) in COPD patient in practice. The purpose of our study is to investigate the role of reduced lung function in the prevalence of AF on a base of clinical field. Methods : We have studied 128 human who presented the exertional dyspnea, and excluded the low ejection fraction cases (<40%), the valvular heart disease and the ischemic heart disease. The subjects consisted of 65 patients who had AF and 63 controls. All of them were examined by pulmonary function test (PFT), echocardiography, ECG, and histories taking. Results : The measured values of FEV1, FEV1%, and FEV1/FVC were significantly lower in AF patients than those in controls (1.36¡¾0.511 L/sec, 65¡¾20.5%, and 67.3¡¾ 12.33/sec versus 1.67¡¾0.629 L/sec, 79.0¡¾24.4%, and 76.9¡¾15.59/sec; P=0.034, P=0.002, and P=0.012 respectively), even though both group had the same EF (53.0¡¾14.13% versus 56.3¡¾9.80%; P=0.378). In echocardiographic findings, the left atrial enlargement and the hepatic vein congestion were more frequently observed in AF patients, and the measured right ventricle systolic pressure (RVSPr) showed higher in AF patients comparing to those in control (44.0¡¾16.87 mmHg versus 36.0¡¾11.02 mmHg; P=0.017), which also have a statistical significance. Even there were no LVH and no remarkable deterioration of EF (>40%), we have observed the hemodynamically significant congestion and atrial enlargement in AF patients with increase of RVSPr. Conclusions : The authors conclude that the reduced values of FEV1, FEV1% and FEV1/FVC are associated with the prevalence of AF, and further the reduced lung function might be one of the risk factors in terms of AF occurance.