Echocardiographic changes and predictors of arrhythmia recurrence after long-term use of the atrial defibrillator.

Background: The patient-activated atrial defibrillator allows patients to cardiovert themselves from atrial fibrillation soon after the onset of symptoms. The long-term effects of early cardioversion from persistent atrial fibrillation on left ventricular performance and left atrial size are unknown.

Methods: Eighteen patients, mean age 63.