Posterior wall isolation in persistent atrial fibrillation. Long-term outcomes of a repeat procedure strategy

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

Background: Posterior wall isolation (PWI) added to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is increasingly used in ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) despite limited evidence of clinical benefit. We investigated the 5-year outcomes of a PVI + PWI ablation strategy with mandatory repeat procedures in PeAF. Methods: Twenty-four patients with PeAF participated in this single-arm prospective study and underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with wide area circumferential ablation (WACA), roof, and inferior lines for PVI + PWI which was reinforced if required during mandated repeat procedures after 6 months. Then, patients were followed for 60 months using continuous heart rhythm monitoring by implanted cardiac monitors (ICM) and atrial fibrillation effect on quality-of-life scoring (AFEQT; range: 20–100 points) for the initial 30 months. Results: ICM-verified cumulated AF recurrence was 54% after 30 months but the ensuing AF burden was only median 0‰ [0 to 4.8‰] overall and 1‰ [0 to 8 ‰] among patients with any recurrence. AFEQT scores increased from baseline 60 points [48 to 72] to 93 points [84 to 96] at repeat procedures P < 0.0001 and further to 96 points [93 to 99] P = 0.03 after 30 months. After 60 months, at least one episode of AF had been documented in 63% and two patients (8%) were in permanent AF. Conclusion: Reinforced PVI + PWI was associated with low long-term AF burden and corresponding improvements in quality-of-life. Reinforced (or durable) PVI + PWI appears to be a promising strategy to treat PeAF. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT05045131.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftJournal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology
Vol/bind66
Sider (fra-til)971–979
ISSN1383-875X
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2023

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
Dr. Worck has received research grants and speaker honoraria from Biosense Webster. Dr. Sørensen has received research grants from Medtronic and Biosense Webster. Dr. Lock Hansen has received research grants from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and Dr. Hansen has received research grants and speaker honoraria from Medtronic, Biosense Webster, and Boston Scientific. Dr Johannesen, Dr. Ruwald, and Mr. Haugdal have nothing to disclose. There are no other potentially competing interests to declare.

Funding Information:
The study was mainly supported by the internal research fund of the department of cardiology, Gentofte Hospital. A grant from Biosense Webster Inc. covered a minor share of the required funding.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

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