Prevalence and incidence of adverse events with catheter ablation for adults with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: a systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence to determine the prevalence and incidence of adverse events in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who have undergone catheter ablation. INTRODUCTION: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a rare congenital heart disease affecting the normal cardiac conduction system that predisposes an individual to tachyarrhythmias. Patients with Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome can experience a wide range of life-threatening symptoms and frequently undergo catheter ablation procedures to treat this disease. These patients are at risk of developing a variety of adverse events, including pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, atrial fibrillation, stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, major bleeding or hematoma, deep vein thrombosis, atrioventricular-block, cardiac perforation, coronary artery injury, pulmonary emboli, and death. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will include adults aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who have undergone catheter ablation, including radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation. METHODS: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases will be searched from 1980 to the present for English-language studies only. Prevalence and incidence data, experimental, quasi-experimental, observational, and descriptive studies will be included and critically appraised by two independent reviewers. Data will be extracted using the standardized data extraction tool for prevalence data. If sufficient data is available, a meta-analysis will be conducted; otherwise, the findings will be presented in narrative form including tables and figures to aid in data presentation where appropriate. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020180391.