Rotor Stability Separates Sustained Ventricular Fibrillation From Self-Terminating Episodes in Humans JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY Krummen, D. E., Hayase, J., Morris, D. J., Ho, J., Smetak, M. R., Clopton, P., Rappel, W., Narayan, S. M. 2014; 63 (24): 2712-2721

Abstract

This study mapped human ventricular fibrillation (VF) to define mechanistic differences between episodes requiring defibrillation versus those that spontaneously terminate.VF is a leading cause of mortality; yet, episodes may also self-terminate. We hypothesized that the initial maintenance of human VF is dependent upon the formation and stability of VF rotors.We enrolled 26 consecutive patients (age 64 ± 10 years, n = 13 with left ventricular dysfunction) during ablation procedures for ventricular arrhythmias, using 64-electrode basket catheters in both ventricles to map VF prior to prompt defibrillation per the institutional review board-approved protocol. A total of 52 inductions were attempted, and 36 VF episodes were observed. Phase analysis was applied to identify biventricular rotors in the first 10 s or until VF terminated, whichever came first (11.4 ± 2.9 s to defibrillator charging).Rotors were present in 16 of 19 patients with VF and in all patients with sustained VF. Sustained, but not self-limiting VF, was characterized by greater rotor stability: 1) rotors were present in 68 ± 17% of cycles in sustained VF versus 11 ± 18% of cycles in self-limiting VF (p < 0.001); and 2) maximum continuous rotations were greater in sustained (17 ± 11, range 7 to 48) versus self-limiting VF (1.1 ± 1.4, range 0 to 4, p < 0.001). Additionally, biventricular rotor locations in sustained VF were conserved across multiple inductions (7 of 7 patients, p = 0.025).In patients with and without structural heart disease, the formation of stable rotors identifies individuals whose VF requires defibrillation from those in whom VF spontaneously self-terminates. Future work should define the mechanisms that stabilize rotors and evaluate whether rotor modulation may reduce subsequent VF risk.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.037

View details for Web of Science ID 000337358800010

View details for PubMedID 24794115