Right atrial wall inflammation detected by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT may be significantly associated with persistent atrial fibrillation: a prospective case-control study

Aim Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive disease from paroxysmal to persistent, and persistent AF (PerAF) had worse prognosis. AF has potential link with inflammation, but it is not clear whether PerAF or paroxysmal AF (ParAF) is more closely related to inflammation. On the basis of inhibiting myocardial physiological uptake, F-18-fluorodeoxyglucosepositron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18-FDG PET/CT) is an established imaging modality to detect cardiac inflammation. We aimed to decipher the association between AF and atrial inflammatory activity by F-18-FDG PET/CT. Methods Thirty-five PerAF patients were compared to age and sex matched ParAF group with baseline F-18-FDG PET/CT scans prior to radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in the prospective case-control study. High-fat and low-carbohydrate diet and prolonged fast (HFLC+Fast) was applied to all AF patients before PET/CT. Then 22 AF patients with positive right atrial (RA) wall FDG uptake (HFLC+Fast) were randomly selected and underwent HFLC+Fast+heparin the next day. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was calculated to evaluate the risk of stroke. Clinical data, ECG, echocardiography, and atrial F-18-FDG uptake were compared. Results PerAF patients had significantly higher probability of RA wall positive FDG uptake and higher SUVmax than ParAF group [91.4% VS. 28.6%, P < 0.001; SUVmax: 4.10(3.20-4.90) VS. 2.60(2.40-3.10), P < 0.001]. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that RA wall SUVmax was the independent influencing factor of PerAF (OR = 1.80, 95%CI 1.02-3.18, P = 0.04). In 22 AF patients with RA wall positive FDG uptake (HFLC+Fast), the "HFLC+Fast+Heparin" method did not significantly change RA wall FDG uptake evaluated by either quantitative analysis or visual analysis. High CHA2DS2-VASc score group had higher RA wall F-18-FDG uptake [3.35 (2.70, 4.50) vs, 2.8 (2.4, 3.1) P = 0.01]. Conclusions RA wall FDG positive uptake was present mainly in PerAF. A higher RA wall F-18-FDG uptake was an independent influencing factor of PerAF. RA wall FDG uptake based on F-18-FDG PET/CT may indicate pathological inflammation. Trial registration http://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2000038288.