Paroxsysmal lone atrial fibrillation. Clinical profile (PAF registry)

Objective. To assess the relative frequency and clinical profile of paroxys mal lone atrial fibrillation in comparison with that of secondary atrial fi brillation. Patients and method. A prospective multicenter study (FAP Register) was des igned to include 300 patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillati on admitted to the emergency ward of 11 secondary hospitals of Catalonia. Results. Lone atrial fibrillation was found in 67 patients (22.3%) while sy stemic hypertension was present in 33.7% of the cases; mitral or aortic val vular disease in 12% and coronary heart disease in 9.7%. As compared with p atients with evidence of cardiac or systemic etiology, patients with isolat ed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were younger (mean age of 55 vs 65 years of age; p = 0.0001), dispnea was less frequent (p = 0.007); had a tendency to appear at night; left atrial size was smaller (p < 0.001) and response t o treatment of sinusal rhythm was not different. Conclusions. Relative frequency of paroxysmal lone atrial fibrillation was only second to hypertension, which appears to be the most important pathoge nic factor in our population. The clinical profile shows similarities in se condary fibrillation.