Key result
Catheter ablation combined with antiarrhythmic drugs maintained sinus rhythm in 73.3% of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation compared to 20% without antiarrhythmic drugs at 17.7 months.
Why the study?
Does a combination of catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs improve maintenance of sinus rhythm and reverse atrial structural changes in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation?
Cohort (n=15)
Does a combination of catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs improve maintenance of sinus rhythm and reverse atrial structural changes in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation?
An aggressive strategy combining catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs effectively maintains sinus rhythm and promotes reverse structural remodeling of the left atrium in patients with chronic AF.
May support combined ablation and drugs for sinus rhythm in chronic AF cases; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation.
The effects of restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm by a combination of catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) on atrial function in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) remain unknown. In 15 patients with chronic AF (>1 year), we attempted to restore and maintain sinus rhythm by ablation targeting complex fractionated atrial electrocardiograms (CFAEs) combined with pulmonary vein isolation with or without AADs. Sinus rhythm was restored in all patients. At 17:7 ± 7:2 months after AF ablation, maintenance of sinus rhythm was achieved in 20% of patients without AADs and in 73.3% of patients with AADs. The left atrial diameter decreased significantly by 9:5 ± 8:1% (P < 0:05) during the 12‐month followup. AADs did not have any adverse effects. The aggressive strategy for maintenance of sinus rhythm involving AF ablation and AADs potentially led to recovery of structural changes in the LA in patients with chronic AF.
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Haruna et al. (2009) conducted a cohort in Chronic atrial fibrillation (n=15). Catheter ablation combined with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) vs. Catheter ablation without AADs was evaluated on Maintenance of sinus rhythm. Catheter ablation combined with antiarrhythmic drugs maintained sinus rhythm in 73.3% of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation compared to 20% without antiarrhythmic drugs at 17.7 months.
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