Poor disease awareness prior to initial atrial fibrillation ablation was associated with a significantly higher rate of AF/AT recurrence compared to good awareness (23.8% vs. 7.7%; p=0.003).
Cohort (n=133)
Does poor disease awareness predict AF/AT recurrence in patients undergoing initial AF ablation?
Poor disease awareness in patients undergoing initial AF ablation is associated with a significantly higher rate of AF/AT recurrence, highlighting its potential as a surrogate marker for recurrence.
Tasa de eventos absoluta: 23.8% vs 7.7%
valor p: p=0.003
ABSTRACT Background The clinical relevance of patient disease awareness on risk factor control and clinical outcomes after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains incompletely understood. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study enrolling 133 patients undergoing an initial AF ablation. Disease awareness was assessed using the Jessa Atrial Fibrillation Knowledge Questionnaire (JAKQ) —a 16‐item instrument comprising 8 questions on general AF knowledge and 8 questions on oral anticoagulant therapy—administered before and 1 year after ablation. We divided them into the poor disease awareness group and good disease awareness group according to the median value (75%) of the JAKQ score about AF in general and compared the baseline patient characteristics and the 1‐year changes in the JAKQ score, blood pressure, laboratory data, echocardiographic parameters, and AF/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence rate between the groups. Results Forty‐two (31.6%) patients were classified as having a poor disease awareness (< 75% of the JAKQ score about AF in general), which was associated with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and greater left atrial volume (LAV). These trends in the poor disease awareness group remained unchanged 1 year after the ablation. During the 25.3 15.7–34.9 month follow‐up, the AF/AT recurrence rate was significantly higher in the poor disease awareness than good disease awareness group (23.8% vs. 7.7%; p = 0.003 by the log‐rank test). Conclusions Poor disease awareness was linked to lifestyle‐related diseases, greater LAV before and even 1 year after the ablation, making it a potential surrogate marker for AF/AT recurrence. These findings highlight the clinical significance of disease awareness for AF.
Sawada et al. (Wed,) conducted a cohort in Atrial Fibrillation (n=133). Poor disease awareness (<75% JAKQ score) vs. Good disease awareness (≥75% JAKQ score) was evaluated on Atrial fibrillation or atrial tachycardia recurrence rate (p=0.003). Poor disease awareness prior to initial atrial fibrillation ablation was associated with a significantly higher rate of AF/AT recurrence compared to good awareness (23.8% vs. 7.7%; p=0.003).