Extensive pulmonary vein isolation significantly improved quality of life in patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal and chronic atrial fibrillation who maintained sinus rhythm.
Cohort (n=86)
No
Does extensive pulmonary vein isolation improve quality of life in patients with drug-resistant atrial fibrillation?
Catheter ablation improves quality of life in patients with drug-resistant atrial fibrillation who successfully maintain sinus rhythm, with differing time courses of improvement between paroxysmal and chronic AF.
p-value: p=<0.01
BACKGROUND: The current study aimed to investigate the effect of ablation therapy on the quality of life (QOL) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by using a questionnaire specific for AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 86 patients (paroxysmal/chronic, 61/25) with drug-resistant AF undergoing extensive pulmonary vein isolation were recruited for the study. The QOL was quantitatively assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire at baseline, and 1, 3 and 6 months after the ablation. Sinus rhythm was maintained in 48/61 (79%) of the paroxysmal AF group, and 15/25 (60%) of those in the chronic AF group during 6 months after the initial ablation procedure. Among the patients without any AF recurrences, patients with chronic AF exhibited a substantial improvement in the QOL at 1 month after the procedure, and it remained unchanged until the end of the follow-up period. However, in the patients with paroxysmal AF, the QOL level gradually increased over a 6-month period. The patients with recurrent AF exhibited no improvement in the QOL. CONCLUSION: Although the clinical course of the QOL improvement was different, both paroxysmal and chronic AF patients gained better QOL to maintain sinus rhythm by means of catheter ablation.
Miyazaki et al. (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Drug-refractory paroxysmal or chronic atrial fibrillation (n=86). Extensive pulmonary vein isolation (catheter ablation) vs. Baseline (pre-ablation) and patients with recurrent AF was evaluated on Quality of life assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire (AFQLQ) (p=<0.01). Extensive pulmonary vein isolation significantly improved quality of life in patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal and chronic atrial fibrillation who maintained sinus rhythm.