The article described a clinical case of a patient with chronic heart failure (CHF) with preserved ejection fraction (CHF-PEF) and permanent normosystolic atrial fibrillation (AF). A 73 year-old man (body mass index, 26.4 kg /m2) with permanent normosystolic AF (duration, 10 years) was hospitalized for augmenting of CHF symptoms. The patient had NYHA II-III functional class CHF and a history of long-standing arterial hypertension. The patient received chronic therapy according to the effective guidelines (angiotensin receptor blockers, diuretics, beta-blockers, and new oral anticoagulants). Transthoracic echocardiography showed a normal ejection fraction (EF) (57 %), a moderate enlargement of the left atrium (48 mm), and moderate left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of left atrial AF was performed. For preparation to the RFCA, the patient was administered propanorm two weeks prior to the procedure. Following external electrical cardioversion (ECV) after RFCA, sinus rhythm did not recover. The patient was prescribed amiodarone, and repeat ECV was performed in a month, which resulted in successful recovery of sinus rhythm. However, due to an increase in serum thyrotropic hormone, amiodaron was replaced with the sotalol therapy (240 mg/day). This resulted in development of symptomatic sinus bradycardia and AF relapse at 3 days after ECV. A dual-chamber cardioverter defibrillator was implanted to the patient; in another three months, repeat AF RFCA was performed with successful recovery of sinus rhythm. During the cardioverter testing for one year, the patient had one more AF episode, which was stopped by external ECV. Also, a 6-hour AF episode occurred at three months after the repeat RFCA. Symptoms of CHF disappeared by the 12th month. The combination therapy administered to the patient with normosystolic permanent AF and preserved EF, which included a pathogenetic therapy for CHF, antiarrhythmic drugs, implantation of a dual-chamber ECV, two sessions of AF RFCA, and repeat external ECVs, provided considerable improvement of CHF symptoms and stable sinus rhythm during a one-year follow-up. The return to sinus rhythm after 10 years of permanent AF necessitated changing the arrhythmia diagnosis to long-standing, persistent AF.
Predictors of primary atrial fibrillation and concomitant clinical and hemodynamic changes in patients with chronic heart failure: a prospective study in 344 patients with baseline sinus rhythm