Association between CHADS2 score and long-term atrial fibrillation recurrence rate after catheter ablation / 中华心血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between CHADS2 score and long-term ( ≥ 3 years) outcomes post catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>AF patients who received single catheter ablation in our hospital from January 2004 to March 2009 in our department were included and patients received regular follow-up. AF recurrence was defined as the occurrence of atrial arrhythmias (AF, atrial flutter and atrial tachycardia) recorded by electrocardiogram monitor ( ≥ 30 seconds) after ablation during follow-up period (after 3 months blanking period). The relationship between baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and the time to recurrence during follow-up was evaluated using Cox multivariate analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 280 patients who received single catheter ablation procedure were included in the study, 3 patients died and there were 50 patients lost to follow-up. A total of 227 patients with AF (163 paroxysmal and 64 non-paroxysmal ) were enrolled in the final analysis. During a median follow-up of 51 months (41-56 months), 109 patients experienced AF recurrences and the recurrence rate after catheter ablation ( ≥ 3 years) was 48.0% (109/227). Cox multivariate analysis showed that the high CHADS2 score (HR 1.417, 95%CI 1.194-1.682, P < 0.001) and AF non-termination during ablation (HR 2.077, 95%CI 1.380-3.126, P = 0.043) were risk factors of AF recurrence. AF recurrence rates in the termination and non-termination group were 41.0% (75/183) and 77.3% (34/44), respectively. In the AF termination group, the recurrence rates and the median recurrence free time in patients with CHADS2 score ≥ 3 were 80.0% (12/15) and 1 year, respectively. In the non-AF termination group, the recurrence rates in patients with CHADS2 score = 0, CHADS2 score = 1-2 and CHADS2 score ≥ 3 were 60.0% (6/10), 77.8% (21/27) and 100% (7/7), respectively; the median recurrence free time of patients with CHADS2 score = 0, CHADS2 score = 1-2 and CHADS2 score ≥ 3 were 30 months, 12 months and 6 months, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CHADS2 score is a predictor of AF recurrences after catheter ablation. Patients with high CHADS2 score is associated with higher risk of long-term ( ≥ 3 years) AF recurrences.</p>