The inducibility and focus of atrial fibrillation after ablation in patients with tachycardia‐induced heart failure

BACKGROUND: The inducibility of atrial fibrillation (AF) and incidence of nonpulmonary vein (nonPV) triggers in patients with heart failure (HF) have not been elucidated. Furthermore, the relationship between AF triggers and the change in the left ventricular (LV) function after catheter ablation (CA) remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 101 consecutive patients with a history of HF due to tachycardia who underwent CA of AF were prospectively enrolled (64.8 ± 10.7 years, male 72.3%, and paroxysmal AF 15.8%). According to the AF inducibility by isoproterenol (ISP), the patients were divided into two groups: inducible AF (66.3%) and noninducible AF (33.7%). Furthermore, inducible AF was categorized into a PV type (61.2%) and nonPV type (38.8%). This study investigated the AF recurrence and change in the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) after CA. RESULTS: AF recurred in 35 patients (34.7%) during the follow-up period (41.6 ± 26.8 months). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with noninducible AF had just as bad an AF recurrence rate as those with the nonPV type. Cox proportional hazards models also revealed that noninducible AF (Hazard-ratio, 5.74; 95% CI, 1.81-18.13) was associated with a higher risk of recurrence. The LVEF significantly improved after the CA (from 49.1 ± 16.3% to 67.0 ± 7.9%). However, the nonPV type was associated with a lower improvement in the LVEF (Odds-ratio, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.70). CONCLUSION: The AF inducibility was associated with AF recurrence. Furthermore, the nonPV triggers were associated with a lesser improvement in the LVEF. Confirming the AF inducibility and triggers was important to predict the outcome after CA.