Age, creatinine, and ejection fraction (ACEF) score as predictive values for late non-valvular atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency ablation.

The clinical risk factors associated with late recurrence in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) (NVAF) undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) remain unknown. Furthermore, the current prognostic risk score system is commonly used in such patients as a noninvasive method to assess late AF recurrence. According to recent research, the Age, creatinine, and ejection fraction (ACEF) score is a useful risk score for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. As a result, we hypothesized that pre-ablation ACEF score could be used to assess late recurrence in patients with NVAF. We included 325 NVAF patients undergoing RFCA. During a median follow-up period of 12 months, patients with late AF recurrence had higher ACEF scores (P < .001). The pre-ablation ACEF score was a risk factor for late AF recurrence after RFCA (P = .027). The ACEF score was a predictor of late AF recurrence after RFCA, with an AUC of 0.624 (P = .001). Moreover, the AUC of left atrial diameter (LAD) was 0.7 (P < .001), which was higher than the ACEF score, but no significant difference was found (P = .104). The ACEF score was positively correlated with LAD, advanced age, and B-type natriuretic peptide. In patients with NVAF, the pre-ablation ACEF score is a valuable risk score for assessing late AF recurrence after RFCA, as with LAD.

Sex Differences in the Combined Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Closure: Results From LAACablation Registry.

Background: More than 40% of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) procedures were combined with atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in China. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the sex differences in the combined radiofrequency catheter ablation and LAAC procedures. Methods: Data from the LAACablation (Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Combination With Catheter Ablation) registry, which enrolled AF patients who underwent the combined procedure between 2018 and 2021, were analyzed. Procedural complications, long-term outcomes, and quality of life (QoL) were compared between sexes. Results: Of 931 patients, 402 (43.2%) were women. Compared with men, women were older (age 71.3 ± 7.4 years vs 68.7 ± 8.1 years; P < 0.001), presented more often with paroxysmal AF (52.5% vs 42.7%; P < 0.003), and had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (4.1 ± 1.5 vs 3.1 ± 1.5; P < 0.001), but received less often linear ablation and had shorter total procedural times and radiofrequency catheter ablation times. Women had similar rates of total and major procedural complications but presented with a higher incidence of minor complications than men (3.7% vs 1.3%; P = 0.027). Follow-up over 1,812 patient-years revealed similar adverse events between women and men, including all-cause death (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.43-1.85; P = 0.754), thromboembolic events (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.54-2.52; P = 0.697), major bleeding (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.38-2.44; P = 0.935), and their composite (HR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.56-1.28; P = 0.434). The recurrence rates of atrial tachyarrhythmia were also comparable between sexes presenting either paroxysmal or persistent AF. Women were seen with greater QoL impairment at baseline, but the sex gap narrowed at 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: In AF patients who underwent the combined procedure, women had similar procedural safety and long-term efficacy to men and presented greater QoL improvement. (Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Combination With Catheter Ablation [LAACablation]; NCT03788941).

Sacubitril/Valsartan Can Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence After Catheter Ablation in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

PURPOSE: This study compared the effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan (SV) vs. valsartan (V) for treating persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) after radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA). METHODS: Patients with persistent AF who received RFCA were randomly assigned to the SV or V treatment group with the intervention lasting for 12 months. The primary outcome included any atrial arrhythmia episode lasting ≥ 30 s after a 3-month blanking period. The secondary outcome included any atrial arrhythmia episode lasting ≥ 24 h or requiring cardioversion after a 3-month blanking period. The H2FPEF score was used to assess the possibility of patients suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients with persistent AF who received RFCA were randomized for the study, with 5 patients failing to follow-up. Among them, 29 (42%) out of 69 patients receiving V and 15 (21.7%) out of 69 patients receiving SV reached the primary endpoint (P < 0.001). A total of 26 (37.7%) out of 69 patients receiving V and 7 (10.1%) out of 69 patients receiving SV reached the secondary endpoint (P < 0.001). A decrease in the H2FPEF score after a 1-year follow-up seemed to be related to the recurrence of AF (OR, 0.065; 95% CI: 0.018-0.238, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SV can decrease AF recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with persistent AF at the 1-year follow-up. The mechanism for this process may be related to the reduction in the H2FPEF score in patients with preserved ejection fraction heart failure.

Effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor on atrial electrical instability in atrial fibrillation.

Background and objective: Around 33.5 million patients suffered from atrial fibrillation (AF), causing complications and increasing mortality and disability rate. Upstream treatment for AF is getting more popular in clinical practice in recent years. The angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) is one of the potential treatment options. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of ARNI on atrial electrical instability and structural remodeling in AF. Methods: Our research consisted of two parts - a retrospective real-world clinical study and an animal experiment on calmness to verify the retrospective founding. In the retrospective study, we reviewed all patients (n = 110) who had undergone the first AF ablation from 1 August 2018 to 1 March 2022. Patients with ARNI (n = 36) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist (ARB) (n = 35) treatment were enrolled. Their clinical data, ultrasound cardiogram (UCG) and Holter parameters were collected before radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) as baseline and at 24-week follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. In the animal experiment, we established an AF model (n = 18) on canines by rapid atrial pacing. After the successful procedure of pacing, all the 15 alive beagles were equally and randomly assigned to three groups (n = 5 each): Control group, ARB group, and ARNI group. UCG was performed before the pacing as baseline. Physiological biopsy, UCG, and electrophysiological study (EPS) were performed at 8-week. Results: Clinical data showed that the atrial arrhythmia rate at 24-week was significantly lower in ARNI group compared to ARB group (P < 0.01), and ARNI was independently associated with a lower atrial arrhythmia rate (P < 0.05) at 24-week in multivariate regression logistic analysis. In the animal experiment, ARNI group had a higher atrial electrical stability score and a shorter AF duration in the EPS compared to Control and ARB group (P < 0.05). In the left atrium voltage mapping, ARNI group showed less low voltage and disordered zone compared to Control and ARB group. Compared to Control group, right atrium diameter (RAD), left ventricle end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), E/A, and E/E' were lower in ARNI group (P < 0.05) at the 8-weeks follow-up, while left atrium ejection fraction (LAEF) and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) were higher (P < 0.01). Compared to ARB group, LVEF was higher in ARNI group at the 8-week follow-up (P < 0.05). ARB and ARNI group had a lower ratio of fibrotic lesions in the left atrium tissues compared to Control group (P < 0.01), but no difference was found between the ARB and the ARNI group. Conclusion: ARNI could reduce atrial electrical instability in AF in comparison with ARB in both retrospective study and animal experiment.

Cardiogenic Shock Due to Unsuspected Tachycardia in a Child.

A 10-year-old girl experienced cardiac failure due to atrial tachycardia originating from a left atrial appendage. Surgical appendectomy was done after a recurrence of the atrial tachycardia just after the first attempt at catheter ablation. A second ablation attempt was avoided because of the risk of cardiac perforation. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor therapy and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation: A propensity-matched cohort study.

Background: Compared with conventional medicines, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) could further improve the prognosis for multiple cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. However, the relationship between ARNI therapy and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation is currently unknown. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients with consecutive persistent or paroxysmal AF undergoing first-time radiofrequency ablation were enrolled from February 2018 to October 2021. We compared the risk of AF recurrence in patients with catheter ablation who received ARNI with the risk of AF recurrence in those who received the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI). The propensity-score matched analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of ARNI. We used a Cox regression model to evaluate AF recurrence events. Results: Among 679 eligible patients, 155 patients with ARNI treatment and 155 patients with ACEI treatment were included in the analyses. At a median follow-up of 228 (196-322) days, ARNI as compared with ACEI was associated with a lower risk of AF recurrence [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.24-0.63; p < 0.001]. In addition, no interaction was found in the subgroup analysis. Conclusion: Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor treatment was associated with a decreased risk of AF recurrence after first-time radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Near-Fatal Hepatic Complication After Cardiac Catheter Ablation.

Radiofrequency cardiac ablation is increasingly performed for the management of dysrhythmias. Bleeding is a well-known complication of this procedure. We present a rare case of a near-fatal iatrogenic hepatic hemorrhage after cardiac catheter ablation. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Slow-Pathway Visualization by Using Panoramic View: A Novel Ablation Technique for Ablation of Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia.

(1) Background: The panoramic view of a novel wide-band dielectric mapping system could show the individual anatomy. We aimed to compare the feasibility, efficacy and safety of the panoramic view guided approach for ablation of AVNRT with the conventional approach. (2) Methods: Ablation distributions in eight patients were retrospectively analyzed using the panoramic view. The para-slow-pathway (para-SP) region was divided into three regions, and the region that most frequently appeared with the appropriate junctional rhythm or eliminated the slow-pathway was defined as the adaptive slow-pathway (aSP) region. Twenty patients with AVNRT were then ablated in the aSP region under the panoramic view and compared with 40 patients using the conventional approach. (3) Results: Thirty ablation points were analyzed. The majority of effective points (95.0%) were located in the inferior and anterior portions of the para-SP region and defined as the aSP region. Baseline characteristics, fluoroscopic duration, and mean number of ablations were similar among the two groups. The panoramic view group had a significantly higher percentage of appropriate junctional rhythm (81.9% ± 26.0% vs. 55.7% ± 30.5%, p = 0.002) than the conventional group. (4) Conclusions: The use of the panoramic view for AVNRT ablation achieved similar clinical endpoints with higher ablation efficiency than the conventional approach.

The prognostic significance of left atrial appendage peak flow velocity in the recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation following first radiofrequency catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) relapse following radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) continues to be a concern. This study establishes a connection between left atrial appendage peak flow velocity (LAAV) and recurrence of AF in individuals having PeAF following first RFCA. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 164 successive PeAF patients who had first RFCA between January 2018 and December 2019. Before the ablation, the LAAV was recorded using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The demographic and clinical data of the individuals were gathered. Participants were monitored at regular intervals to monitor for recurrence of AF. We employed Cox proportional hazards regression to determine if LAAV, as well as other clinical indicators, were predictive of AF recurrence in follow-up. RESULTS: In this study, AF relapse was seen in 43 patients (26.2%) following a median follow-up of 15 [interquartile range (IQR): 12-18] months. It was shown that the LAAV was decreased in individuals who had recurrences of AF (0.36±0.05 vs. 0.45±0.17 m/s, P=0.004). Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, it was discovered that the low LAAV (0.37 m/s) group had a poorer event-free survival rate compared to the high LAAV (>0.37 m/s) group (17.6 vs. 21.2 months, log-rank P=0.002) group. Based on the results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis, a LAAV of fewer than 0.37 m/s [hazard ratio (HR): 2.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.177-4.227; P=0.014] was shown to be an independent predictor of AF recurrence following RFCA. CONCLUSIONS: A low LAAV is associated with AF relapse, and it is a predictor of AF relapse following the first RFCA for PeAF. This discovery may be useful in the optimization of treatment strategies and the care of patients with PeAF.

Non-pharmaceutical Interventions for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Mini Review.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited cardiovascular disease, and 70% of patients have left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Ventricular septal myectomy has been the gold standard treatment for most patients with refractory symptoms. Due to higher mortality associated with medical facilities with less experience, alcohol septal ablation has been accepted as an alternative to conventional surgical myectomy. It offers lower all-cause in-hospital complications and mortality, which could be potentially more preferable for patients with serious comorbidities. In recent years, radiofrequency ablation, providing another option with reproducibility and a low risk of permanent atrioventricular block, has become an effective invasive treatment to relieve left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Moreover, substantial progress has been made in gene therapy for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The principal objective of this review is to present recent advances in non-pharmaceutical interventions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Prognosis and Outcomes of Clinically Diagnosed Cardiac Sarcoidosis Without Positive Endomyocardial Biopsy Findings.

Background: Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is sometimes difficult due to a low positive rate of epithelioid granulomas by endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Accordingly, Japanese guidelines can allow the CS diagnosis using clinical data alone without EMB results (clinical CS) since 2006. However, little is known about prognosis and outcome of clinical CS. Objectives: Purpose of this study was to analyze the prognosis, outcomes, and response to corticosteroid of clinical CS using large-scale cohort survey. Methods: Overall, 422 CS patients (mean age 60 ± 13 years, 68% female, median follow-up period of 5 years), including 345 clinical CS and 77 EMB-positive patients, histologically diagnosed CS (histological CS) by Japanese guidelines, were enrolled and examined. Results: Clinical profile (age, sex, initial cardiac arrhythmias, and abnormal uptake of gallium-67 scintigraphy or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in heart) was similar in both groups. Although clinical CS had better prognosis (P = 0.018) and outcome (all-cause death, appropriate defibrillator therapy, and heart transplantation; P = 0.008), multivariate Cox hazard analysis revealed that left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and sustained ventricular tachycardia history were independently associated with outcome (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively), but not with the diagnosed CS category. Moreover, similar LVEF recovery after corticosteroid was observed in both groups with low LVEF (≤35%) at the 1-year follow-up period (P < 0.001). Conclusions: In clinical CS according to the Japanese guideline, prophylactic implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator and immunosuppressive therapy are important in patients with low LVEF or ventricular tachycardia history, similar to histological CS.

EP Laboratory Nightmare: Catheter Ablation of Malignant Premature Ventricular Complex Complicated by Left Main Injury.

We present a case of ventricular fibrillation triggered by a premature ventricular complex. During ablation from the left coronary cusp, the ablation catheter dislodged inside left main coronary artery, thus resulting in cardiac arrest. We immediately performed angioplasty and stent implantation, and the procedure was accomplished with a guiding catheter left inside the vessel. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

The correlation of pulmonary arterial hypertension with late recurrence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is one of the most common clinical arrhythmias. Although radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for the treatment of atrial fibrillation has continuously matured and developed in recent years, some patients treated with RFCA continued to have atrial fibrillation recurrence, and the recurrence rate was high. Determining indicators to predict the recurrence of PAF after RFCA is significantly important for improving the surgical success rate and guiding clinical work. This study aimed to investigate the influence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) on the late recurrence of PAF after RFCA. METHODS: A total of 300 patients with PAF, who underwent RFCA for the first time at the Department of Cardiology of Fujian Union Medical College Hospital from January 2013 to October 2016, were retrospectively studied. These patients were regularly followed-up from 3 months at least to 3 years and clinical data were collected. In order to observe the 100 PAF patients with PAH were assigned into the observation group, and 200 PAF patients without PAH were assigned as the control group. PAH and its related clinical characteristics were evaluated by univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The follow-up results revealed that 34 patients had early recurrence, and the early arrhythmia recurrence rate was 11.3%. Furthermore, 22 patients had late recurrence, including 19 patients with atrial fibrillation and three patients with atrial flutter; and the late recurrence rate was 7.3%. The univariate ANOVA revealed that PAH (P=0.001), early recurrence (P=0.014) and Left atrial diameter (LAD) (P=0.023) had significant effects on late recurrence after PAF ablation. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis revealed that PAH (P=0.049, OR =1.053, 95% CI: 1.000-1.109) was independently correlated to late recurrence of PAF. CONCLUSIONS: PAH is a predictive factor for late recurrence of PAF after RFCA.

Clinical benefits of deep sedation with a supraglottic airway while monitoring the bispectral index during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI) under sedation has proven to be a useful strategy for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: To evaluate the clinical benefits of respiratory management using supraglottic airways (SGAs) under deep sedation while monitoring the bispectral (BIS) index during the PVAI and the durations from admission to the catheterization room to starting the radiofrequency energy delivery (Time α), and from starting the radiofrequency energy delivery to completion of the PVAI (Time ß), X-ray time, frequency of dislocations of the three-dimensional maps (D3DM), procedure-related complications, and proportion of an AF-free rate 15 months after the PVAI (PAFFR) in patients who received deep sedation without SGAs (Group A: n=48) and those with SGAs (Group B: n=51) were evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient characteristics, Time α (77±3 versus 78±2 min; p=0.816), complications of cardiac tamponade (2% versus 2%; p=0.966), or PAFFR (81% versus 88%; p=0.313) between the two groups. However, the Time ß (84±4 versus 67±3; p=0.001), X-ray time (53±2 versus 34±2; p<0.001), and minor complications of nasal bleeding (25% versus 0%; p=0.001) were significantly shorter and lower in Group B than in Group A, in accordance with a reduction in the hypoxia (15% versus 0%; p=0.007) and D3DM (31% versus 8%; p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: These results may demonstrate the clinical benefits of deep sedation with SGAs while monitoring the BIS index without any hypoxia during PVAI in patients with AF.

Pulmonary Hypertension due to Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation (RFCA) for Atrial Fibrillation: The Lungs, the Atrium or the Ventricle?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder in United States, characterised by rapid and irregular beating of both the atria resulting in the similar ventricular response. While rate and rhythm control using pharmacological regimens remain the primary management strategies in these patients, radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is rapidly rising as an alternative modality of treatment. Increase in the incidence of RFCA has shed light on complications associated with this procedure. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the long-term complications that has been observed postcatheter ablation. There have been multiple mechanisms which have been proposed to explain these elevated pulmonary pressures. These include the involvement of the lungs due to pulmonary vein stenosis, pulmonary vein occlusion and, rarely, pulmonary embolism. Radiofrequency catheter ablation can also lead to scarring of the atrium which can cause left atrial diastolic dysfunction leading to elevated pulmonary pressures. Recently, it was also proposed that elevated pulmonary pressure was related to the unmasking of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction occurring after this procedure. In this article, we review all the mechanisms that are associated with the development of pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing RCFA for atrial fibrillation and the approach to diagnosis and management of such patients.

Risk factors responsible for atrial fibrillation development between symptomatic patients with concealed or manifest atrioventricular accessory pathways.

BACKGROUND: Patients with manifest atrioventricular accessory pathways (mAPs) have a greater tendency to develop atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with patients with concealed atrioventricular accessory pathways (cAPs). However, the risk factors of developing AF in patients with various atrioventricular accessory pathways (APs) are not clear. METHODS: This retrospective study included 460 symptomatic patients with either cAPs (n = 246) or mAPs (n = 214) who underwent electrophysiological study and successful radiofrequency catheter ablation of APs. Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics were compared between cAPs and mAPs and between AF and non-AF groups with cAPs or mAPs. Independent risk factors of AF were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: AF was more frequent in mAPs group than in cAPs group (23.4% vs 9.8%, p < 0.01). Clinical features were similar between cAPs and mAPs. Anterograde conduction properties served as the major electrophysiological feature of mAPs. Multivariate analysis indicated that mAPs, hypertension, post-ablation P wave dispersion (Pd), N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and creatinine were independent risk factors of AF in the complete cohort. Hypertension, post-ablation Pd and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were independent risk factors of AF in cAPs group. Post-ablation Pd, NT-proBNP, creatinine and shorter effective refractory period of anterograde accessory pathways (AAP ERP) were independent risk factors of AF in mAPs group. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study demonstrate that the risk factors of AF are not homogenous between concealed and manifest APs, which might suggest heterogeneous pathogenesis of AF in these two types of APs.