Pulmonary vein dilatation: another possible crosslink between left atrial enlargement and atrial fibrillation?

The interplay between left atrial (LA) dilatation and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been well established, but the underlying mechanisms of this vicious circle are not fully understood. Recent studies indicated that pulmonary vein (PV) dilatation is implicated in the development of AF. On the other hand, PV dilatation has been associated with LA dilatation. It is therefore reasonable to assume that PV dilatation represents a common pathophysiologic pathway between LA enlargement and AF.