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The Figure shows a spectrum of patients with persistent AFib of varying durations (<2, 2-6, and >6 weeks) prior to undergoing cardioversion [29] The teal, dark blue, and purple bars show left atrial function (measured as % A-wave filling) immediately, at 24 hours, and 1 week post-cardioversion, respectively. As seen in the Figure, the longer a patient has been in persistent AFib prior to cardioversion (moving left to right on the X-axis), the less likely that cardioversion will successfully restore normal atrial function, no matter how long after cardioversion (immediately, 24 hours, 1 week) atrial function is assessed.
Reiffel JA. Am J Med 2013; 126: 00-00.
[29] Manning WJ, Silverman DI, Katz SE, et al. Impaired left atrial mechanical function after cardioversion: relation to the duration of atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1994;23:1535-1540.