Does radiofrequency ablation improve CMR LVEF compared to a rate control strategy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and advanced heart failure?
In patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and advanced heart failure, radiofrequency ablation did not improve CMR LVEF compared to rate control and was associated with significant serious complications.
RFA resulted in long-term restoration of sinus rhythm in only 50% of patients. RFA did not improve CMR LVEF compared with a strategy of rate control. RFA did improve radionuclide LVEF but did not improve other secondary outcomes and was associated with a significant rate of serious complications.
MacDonald et al. (2010) studied this question.