gms | German Medical Science

Question: Atrial fibrillation (AF) alter atrial electrophysiological and structural remodeling and promoted AF. Satins are widely used in clinical management and have both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties involved in atrial tachycardia-induced remodeling. We estimated whether statin prevent the occurrence of AF and decease the atrial remodeling in patients with brady-tachy syndrome (BTS; all patients were implanted AAI or DDD type pacemaker).

Methods: The 54 patients were enrolled and were prospectively followed up every month and examed cardiac rhythm by ECG, Holter-ECG and atrial high rate episodes detected by pacemaker. Additionally, signal-averaged electrocardiogram was performed with a VCM-3000 electrocardiograph periodically to estimate the atrial arrhythmogenic substrate.

Results: Statin-on group is consisted on 20 patients (10men , 10women, mean age 69+/-6 yo) and statin-off group is consisted on 34 patients (20men , 14women, mean age 72+/-9 yo). During follow-up periods (503±319 days), AF was more observed in statin-on group (6 patients, 30%) than in statin-off group (24 patients, 71%, P < 0.05). The transition to chronic AF was observed 2 patient of statin-on group (10%) and 4 patients of statin-off group (12%, P= NS). There was no significant difference in age and filtered P-wave duration and RMS 20ms on sinus rhythm between the two groups before and after follow-up. (stain-on group: before 145+/-11 ms, 5.4+/-1.2 microV after 152+/-11 ms, 4.4+/-1.0 microV; stain-off group: before 148+/-16 ms, 4.4+/-0.2 microV, after 154+/-11 ms, 3.8+/-1.1microV, respectively, P=NS).

Conclusion: Stain might prevent the occurrence of AF in BTS patients, but not prevent the increase of the atrial substrate and transition to chronic AF.