Key result
Adding linear or complex electrogram ablation to PVI fails to reduce recurrent AF.
Why the study?
Does linear ablation or ablation of complex fractionated electrograms in addition to pulmonary-vein isolation reduce the rate of recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation?
RCT (n=589)
1:4:4
Yes
Does linear ablation or ablation of complex fractionated electrograms in addition to pulmonary-vein isolation reduce the rate of recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation?
Absolute Event Rate: 59% vs 49%
p-value: p=0.15
Adding linear ablation or ablation of complex fractionated electrograms to pulmonary-vein isolation does not reduce recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients with persistent AF.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Additional ablation beyond pulmonary-vein isolation offers no benefit in persistent atrial fibrillation; challenges routine adjunctive linear or electrogram ablation.
Verma et al. (2015) conducted an RCT in persistent atrial fibrillation (n=589). Pulmonary-vein isolation vs. Pulmonary-vein isolation plus ablation of complex fractionated electrograms and pulmonary-vein isolation plus linear ablation was evaluated on Freedom from any documented recurrence of atrial fibrillation lasting longer than 30 seconds after a single ablation procedure. (p=0.15). Pulmonary-vein isolation alone achieved 59% freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation compared to 49% for isolation plus complex electrograms and 46% for isolation plus linear ablation after 18 months, with no significant differences among groups (P=0.15).
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