Inducibility of atrial tachyarrhythmias after circumferential pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: clinical predictor and outcome during follow-up

AIMS: We investigated the presence and clinical outcome of inducibility of atrial tachyarrhythmias after circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty patients with symptomatic PAF underwent CPVI guided by 3D mapping and double Lasso technique. After achievement of CPVI, the induction was performed. The left atrium (LA) volume and the isolated LA area around the right and left-sided pulmonary veins were measured by the 3D mapping system. Sustained atrial tachyarrhythmias (>10 min) were induced after CPVI in 17 of 60 patients (28%). Patients with inducible atrial tachyarrhythmias had significantly smaller isolated areas when compared with the group with non-inducible tachyarrhythmias (16.7 +/- 2.3 vs. 18.8 +/- 2.9%, P < 0.05). After the initial procedure, recurrence occurred in 18 of 43 (42%) patients in the non-inducible group and in 7 of 17 (41%) in the inducible group during follow-up. A repeat procedure was performed in all 25 patients with recurrence. Five patients had a recurrence after the repeat procedure during 20.8 +/- 7.5 months, and there was no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Inducibility of atrial tachyarrhythmias is associated with proportionally smaller isolated area and does not predict the clinical efficacy of CPVI in patients with PAF.