Evaluation of Left Atrial Strain Imaging and Integrated Backscatter As Predictors of Recurrence in Patients with Paroxysmal, Persistent, and Long-Standing Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Catheter Ablation

Impaired left atrial (LA) strain predicts atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation (CA), but currently there is no cut-off to guide patient selection for CA. Integrated backscatter (IBS) is a promising tool for noninvasive quantification of myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this study was to compare LA strain and IBS between paroxysmal, persistent, and long-standing persistent AF and evaluate their association with AF recurrence after CA. Analysis of consecutive patients with symptomatic paroxysmal and persistent AF who underwent CA. LA phasic strain, strain rate and IBS were assessed by two-dimensional speckle-tracking at baseline. We analyzed 78 patients, 31