The relationship between chronic atrial fibrillation and reduced pulmonary function in cases of preserved left ventricular systolic function.

Background And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and reduced pulmonary function.

Subjects And Methods: Eighty-six chronic AF patients who were enrolled from annual health examination programs were studied using echocardiography and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Echocardiography and PFT matched for age, gender, and year performed were selected by the control group who had normal sinus rhythms. Patients with ejection fractions <50%, valvular heart disease, or ischemic heart disease were excluded.

Results: In the chronic AF patients, the forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV(1)), FEV1%, and FEV(1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly reduced, and the right ventricular systolic pressure was significantly increased. Episodes of heart failure were more frequently associated with the chronic AF patients than the controls. In particular, the FEV1% had the most meaningful relationship to chronic AF after an adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors {p=0.003, Exp (B)=0.978, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.963-0.993}.

Conclusion: Reduced FEV1%, which represents the severity of airway obstruction, was associated with chronic AF, and the greater the pulmonary function impairment, the greater the co-existence with AF and congestive heart failure in those with preserved left ventricular systolic function.