Little is known about the epidemiology of 1:1 atrial flutter (AFL). Our objectives were to determine its prevalence and predisposing conditions.
Methods
1037 patients aged 16 to 93 years (mean 64 ¡À 12) were consecutively referred for AFL ablation. 791 had heart disease (HD). Patients admitted with 1/1 AFL were collected. Patients were followed 3 ¡À 3 years.
Results
1:1 AFL-related tachycardiomyopathy was found in 85 patients, 59 men (69 % ) with a mean age of 59 ¡À 12 years. The prevalence was 8 % . They were compared to 952 patients, 741 men (78 % , 0.04), with a mean age of 65 ¡À 12 years (0.002) without 1:1 AFL. Factors favoring 1:1 AFL was the absence of HD (35 vs 23 % , 0.006), the history of AF (42 vs 30.5 % )(0.025) and the use of class I antiarrhythmic drugs (34 vs 13 % )(p < 0.0001), while use of amiodarone or beta blockers was less frequent in patients with 1:1 AFL (5, 3.5 % ) than in patients without 1:1 AFL (25, 15 % ) (p < 0.0001, 0.03). The failure of ablation (9.4 vs 11 % ), ablation-related complications (2.3 vs 1.4 % ), risk of subsequent atrial fibrillation (AF) (20 vs 24 % ), risk of AFL recurrences (19 vs 13 % ) and risk of cardiac death (5 vs 6 % ) were similar in patients with and without 1:1 AFL.
Conclusions
The prevalence of 1:1 AFL in patients admitted for AFL ablation was 8 % . These patients were younger, had less frequent HD, had more frequent history of AF and received more frequently class I antiarrhythmic drugs than patients without 1:1 AFL. Their prognosis was similar to patients without 1:1 AFL.
