Effect of early cryoballoon ablation on atrial fibrillation recurrence-A Danish nationwide register study.

INTRODUCTION: Cryoballoon ablation is a safe and efficient rhythm control strategy in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. The impact of time from diagnosis to ablation is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of timing of first-time cryoballoon ablation on AF recurrence in a nationwide cohort of AF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: From nationwide registers, all AF patients ≥18 years of age who underwent first-time AF cryoballoon ablation in Denmark from 2012 to 2018 were included. The AF patients were stratified by ablation timing: Early group (≤1 year after AF diagnosis), intermediate group (1-3 years after AF diagnosis), and late group (≥3 years after AF diagnosis). By adjusted Cox regression models, the effect of timing on AF recurrence was examined. This study included 1064 AF patients with a median age of 63 years. Most patients were male (66%) and had paroxysmal AF (67%). The 1-year risk of AF recurrence increased from 31% in the early group to 41% and 44% in the intermediate and late group. The hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.28 (0.95, 1.74) in the intermediate group and 1.42 (1.09, 1.86) in the late group when compared to the early group. Continuous diagnosis-to-ablation time seemed to have the greatest impact on AF recurrence within the first 2 years. CONCLUSION: In AF patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation, late timing of ablation was associated with a significantly higher AF recurrence rate when compared to early timing of ablation. These findings support early cryoballoon ablation to improve the outcomes after ablation.

Lower Recurrence Rates of Atrial Fibrillation and MACE Events After Early Compared to Late Ablation: A Danish Nationwide Register Study.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend prioritizing treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs before referral of patients with atrial fibrillation to ablation, delaying a potential subsequent ablation. However, delaying ablation may affect ablation outcomes. We sought to investigate the impact of duration from diagnosis to ablation on the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence and adverse events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Danish nationwide registries, all patients with first-time ablation for atrial fibrillation were identified and included from 2010 to 2018. Patients were divided into 4 groups by diagnosis-to-ablation time: <1.0 year (early ablation), 1.0 to 1.9 years, 2.0 to 2.9 years, and >2.9 years (late ablation). The primary end point was atrial fibrillation recurrence after the 90-day blanking period, defined by admission for atrial fibrillation, cardioversions, use of antiarrhythmic drugs, or repeat atrial fibrillation ablations. The secondary end point was a composite end point of heart failure, ischemic stroke, or death, and each event individually. The study cohort consisted of 7705 patients. The 5-year cumulative incidence of atrial fibrillation recurrence in the 4 groups was 42.9%, 54.8%, 55.9%, and 58.4%, respectively. Hazard ratios were 1.20 (95% CI, 1.07-1.35), 1.29 (95% CI, 1.13-1.47), and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.28-1.53), respectively, with the early ablation group as reference. The hazard ratio for the combined secondary end point was 1.22 (95% CI, 1.04-1.44) in the late ablation group compared with the early ablation group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation, early ablation was associated with a significantly lower risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence. Furthermore, the associated risk of heart failure, ischemic stroke, or death was significantly lower in early-compared with late-ablation patients.

Two decades of SVT ablation in Denmark: a trend towards higher age, more comorbidity, and less prior use of antiarrhythmic and rate-limiting pharmacotherapy-a nationwide registry-based Danish study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Trends in patient selection and use of pharmacotherapy prior to catheter ablation (CA) for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) are not well described. This study examined temporal trends in patients undergoing first-time CA for regular SVT, including atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT), accessory pathways (APs), and ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT) on a nationwide scale in Denmark in the period 2001-2018. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Danish Nationwide registers, 9959 patients treated with first-time CA for SVT between 2001 and 2018 were identified, of which 6023 (61%) received CA for AVNRT, 2829 (28%) for AP, and 1107 (11%) for EAT. Median age was 55, 42, and 55 in the AVNRT, APs, and EAT group, respectively. The number of patients receiving CA increased from 1195 between 2001 and 2003 to 1914 between 2016 and 2018. The percentage of patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2 increased in all patient groups. The number of patients who underwent CA with no prior use of antiarrhythmic- or rate limiting medicine increased significantly, though prior use of beta-blockers increased for AVNRT patients. Use of verapamil decreased in all three SVT groups (P < 0.05). Use of amiodarone and class 1C antiarrhythmics remained low, with the highest usage among EAT patients. CONCLUSION: Between 2001 and 2018, CA was increasingly performed in patients with SVT, primarily AVNRT- and EAT patients. The burden of comorbidities increased. Patients undergoing CA without prior antiarrhythmic- or rate-limiting drug therapy increased significantly. Use of beta-blockers increased and remained the most widely used drug.

Temporal trends of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Denmark: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the population of patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Denmark and determine temporal trends in incidence and patient characteristics over time. DESIGN: Nationwide retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Danish nationwide administrative and clinical registers and databases. PARTICIPANTS: All patients aged ≥16 years diagnosed with HCM from 2005 to 2018. OUTCOMES MEASURES: Time trends in HCM diagnosis, patient characteristics, comorbidities and pharmacotherapy were identified and tested for significance using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. RESULTS: 3856 HCM patients were included (median age 68 years (IQR 56-78)). Although there were more males (53%), females were older (72 years vs 63 years) and more likely to have their type of HCM classified as obstructive (54% vs 38%). A consistent rise in HCM cases per year was detected and there was a significant decline in prevalence of heart failure (2005: 20% to 2018: 12%, p<0.001) and ischaemic heart disease (2005: 31% to 2019: 16%, p≤0.001). Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and stroke remained notable and unchanged. Lastly, the rate of hospitalisations decreased over time (2005: 64% to 2016: 46%, p<0.001), while the rate of outpatient follow-up increased (2005: 81% to 2016: 87%, p 0.003). CONCLUSION: There was a consistent rise in HCM cases with decreasing morbidity burden. Females were older at diagnosis and more likely to have their type of HCM classified as obstructive. The rate of outpatient follow-up is increasing.

Short- and long-term risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence after first time ablation according to body mass index: a nationwide Danish cohort study.

AIMS: Overweight is associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the impact of overweight and AF recurrence after ablation is less clear. Despite this, an increasing number of AF ablations are carried out in overweight patients. We investigated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on AF recurrence rates after ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through Danish nationwide registers, all patients undergoing first-time AF ablation between 2010 and 2018 were identified. Exposure of interest was BMI. The primary outcome was recurrent AF, defined from either any usage of antiarrhythmic medication, AF hospitalization, cardioversion, or re-ablation. A total of 9188 patients were included. Median age and interquartile range was 64 (60-75) in the normal-weight group and 60 (53-66) in the morbidly obese. There was an increase in comorbidity burden with increasing BMI, including a higher prevalence of heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and hypertension. At 1- and 5-year follow ups, recurrence rates of AF increased incrementally by BMI categories. The hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of recurrent AF after ablation were 1.15 (1.07-1.23), 1.18 (1.09-1.28), and 1.26 (1.13-1.41) in overweight, obese, and morbidly obese, respectively, compared with normal-weight patients. Procedure duration and X-ray dose exposure also increased with increasing BMI. CONCLUSION: Following AF ablation, recurrence rates of AF increased incrementally with increasing BMI. Therefore, aggressive weight management pre ablation in overweight patients could potentially provide substantial benefits and improve short- and long-term outcomes after ablation.