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Introduction: Electrophysiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between aging and atrioventricular (AV) nodal conduction and refractoriness. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of nodal aging on dynamic AV nodal field potential recording during atrial fibrillation (AF) in rabbit. Methods: Two groups of male New Zealand rabbits (neonatal 2-week-olds and adult 12-week-olds, n=14 each group) were used in this study. Field potential recordings were executed by silver electrodes with a diameter of 100 M. Pre-defined stimulation protocols of AF, zone of concealment (ZOC) and concealed conduction for determination of the electrophysiological properties of the AV-node were separately applied in each group. Results: Results of the study showed that mean ventricular rate (HH) during atrial fibrillation was smaller in the neonatal compared to the adult group (229.1 ± 8.3 versus 198.6 ± 13.1 msec, respectively). Also ventricular distribution conduction pattern showed two peaks in the adult and one peak in the neonatal group. Analyzing the zone of concealment in different rates and after concealed beat indicated that the zone of concealment in neonates were significantly smaller compared with adult rabbits and increasing zone of concealment, which is accompanied with increasing ventricular rate is abrogated in the neonatal group (5 ± 3.3, 12.2 ± 6.3 msec). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the electrophysiological protective dynamic behavior of the AV node during atrial fibrillation is smaller in neonates compared to adults. Narrower zone of concealment, abrogation rate dependent trend of the zone of concealment and shorter nodal refractoriness can account for the specific nodal electrophysiological properties of neonatal rabbits.

Keywords: Age, AV node, Atrial Fibrillation (AF), Zone of Concealment (ZOC)

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