Total Atrial Conduction Time as a Predictor of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the predictive value of total atrial conduction time (TACT) assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography (PA-TDI) in atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in patients following a rhythm-control strategy. A systematic approach following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guidelines was applied in electronic databases (Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science), supplemented by scanning through studies’ references. TACT was compared using a random-effects model and presented as a difference in means (MD). The primary endpoint was AF recurrence. Seven publications were included in this systematic review. The mean age of the patients ranged from 55 years to 72 years. Prolonged TACT was associated with AF recurrence [MD, 23.12 msec; 95% confidence interval (CI), 11.54–34.71; I 2 = 95%]. Subgroup analysis showed that prolonged TACT was strongly associated with AF recurrence in persistent AF cohorts undergoing electrical cardioversion (MD, 26.56; 95% CI, 15.51–37.6; I 2 = 86%), while in patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF) undergoing catheter ablation, the results were not statistically significant (MD, 11.48; 95% CI, −1.19 to 24.14; I 2 = 90%). The summary area under the curve (sAUC) using a random-effects model was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.80–0.99). TACT is a valuable echocardiographic parameter that can predict AF recurrence in patients following a rhythm-control strategy. Protocol registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022353018