Key result
AF catheter ablation is linked to improved quality of life and drastically reduced healthcare costs.
Why the study?
AF causes significant QoL impairment and high healthcare utilisation, prompting a systematic evaluation of how catheter ablation affects these outcomes.
Does catheter ablation improve quality of life and reduce healthcare utilisation in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Systematic Review
Does catheter ablation improve quality of life and reduce healthcare utilisation in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation provides significant benefits in improving patient-reported quality of life and reducing long-term healthcare resource utilization.
May support AF ablation discussions; leaves open need for randomized confirmation of QoL and cost benefits.
Impairment of quality of life (QoL) is a well-known complication of AF. Because of the association of AF with older age and many other cardiovascular comorbidities, there are multiple factors that could influence QoL score even after successful AF intervention. However, substantial improvement in QoL has been reported following catheter ablation for AF regardless of ablation outcomes. In terms of healthcare resource utilisation, the expenses associated with AF are very high because of the hospitalisations for AF-related thromboembolic complications, aggravation of heart failure, AF interventions, and emergency room visits for incessant arrhythmia episodes, and they represent a large economic burden worldwide. Several trials have shown a drastic reduction in healthcare costs following successful AF ablation. In this review, the authors discuss this evidence systematically.
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Mohanty et al. (2021) conducted a systematic review in Atrial Fibrillation (AF). Catheter ablation was evaluated on Quality of life and healthcare utilisation. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is associated with substantial improvements in quality of life and a drastic reduction in healthcare costs.
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