Impact of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure

Abstract Background Catheter ablation improves clinical outcomes in symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, the role of catheter ablation in HF patients with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is less clear. Purpose To determine the efficacy of catheter ablation of AF in patients with HFpEF relative to those with HFrEF. Methods We performed an extensive literature search and systematic review of studies that compared AF recurrence at one year after catheter ablation of AF in patients with HFpEF versus those with HFrEF. Risk ratio (RR) 95% confidence intervals were measured using the Mantel-Haenszel method for dichotomous variables, where a RR<1.0 favors the HFpEF group. Results Four studies with a total of 563 patients were included, of which 312 had HFpEF and 251 had HFrEF. All patients included were undergoing first time catheter ablation of AF. Patients with HFpEF experienced similar recurrence of AF one year after ablation on or off antiarrhythmic drugs compared to those with HFrEF (RR 0.87; 95% CI 0.69–1.10, p=0.24), as shown in Figure 1. Recurrence of AF was assessed with electrocardiography, Holter monitoring, and/or event monitoring at scheduled follow-up visits and final follow-up. Conclusion Based on the results of this meta-analysis, catheter ablation of AF in patients with HFpEF appears as efficacious in maintaining sinus rhythm as in those with HFrEF. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Download Full-text

Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm11020288 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 288

Author(s):

Emmanuel Androulakis ◽

Catrin Sohrabi ◽

Alexandros Briasoulis ◽

Constantinos Bakogiannis ◽

Bunny Saberwal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Control Strategy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Rhythm Control ◽

Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been proposed as a means of improving outcomes among patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who are otherwise receiving appropriate treatment. Unlike HFrEF, treatment options are more limited in patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and the data pertaining to the management of AF in these patients are controversial. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of CA on outcomes of patients with AF and HFpEF, such as functional status, post-procedural complications, hospitalization, morbidity and mortality, based on data from observational studies. Methods: We systematically searched the electronic databases MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for Central Register of Clinical Trials until May 2020. Results: Overall, the pooling of our data showed that sinus rhythm was achieved long-term in 58.0% (95% CI 0.44–0.71). Long-term AF recurrence was noticed in 22.3% of patients. Admission for HF occurred in 6.2% (95% CI 0.04–0.09) whilst all-cause mortality was identified in 6.3% (95% CI 0.02–0.13). Conclusion: This meta-analysis is the first to focus on determining the benefits of a rhythm control strategy for patients with AF and HFpEF using CA, suggesting it may be worthwhile to investigate the effects of a CA rhythm control strategy as the default treatment of AF in HFpEF patients in randomized trials.

Download Full-text

Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Heart Failure

JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology ◽

10.1016/j.jacep.2020.09.021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (13) ◽

pp. 1732-1734

Author(s):

Sanjay Dixit ◽

Yuchi Han

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Catheter Ablation ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

Download Full-text

Abstract 12368: Impact of Weight Trends on Long-term Outcomes After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Obese Patients

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.12368 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

T J Bunch ◽

Heidi T May ◽

Tami L Bair ◽

Victoria Jacobs ◽

Brian G Crandall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Catheter Ablation ◽

Obese Patients ◽

Long Term Outcomes ◽

Sustained Weight Loss ◽

Index Weight ◽

Af Recurrence

Introduction: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an established therapeutic rhythm approach in symptomatic patients. Obesity is a dominant driver of AF recurrence after ablation. Weight reduction strategies lower general AF burden and as such may be critical to long-term success rates after ablation. Hypothesis: Long-term outcomes after AF ablation will be better in obese patients with sustained weight loss. Methods: All patients that underwent an index ablation with a BMI recorded and >30 kg/m 2 and at least 3 years of follow-up were included (n=407). The group was separated and compared by weight trends over the 3 years (1. Lost >3% of index weight, n=141; 2. Maintained index weight ±3%, n=147; 3. Gained >3% of index weight at 3 years, n=119). Long-term outcomes included AF recurrence and a composite defined as major adverse clinical events, MACE (stroke/TIA, heart failure (HF) hospitalization, and death). Results: The average age was 63.6±10.4 years, 59.3% were male and 51.7% had paroxysmal AF. AF comorbidities include: hypertension (79.5%), heart failure (36.0%), sleep apnea (35.2%), diabetes (28.9%), and stroke/TIA (5.9%). Those that maintained their weight (HR: 1.45, p=0.05) and those that gained weight (HR 1.54, p=0.07) were more likely to have AF recurrence compared to those that lost weight. Similarly, MACE increased from 18.4% in those that lost weight at 3 years compared to 18.6% (HR 1.32, p=0.29) in those that maintained their weight and 26.5% in those that gained weight (HR 2.01, p=0.02). A small group of patients (n=5), lost >3% then gained it back and ultimately increased their weight by 3%. This group had the highest rates of AF recurrence (100%). Conclusion: Maintained weight loss is a critical component in reducing AF recurrence rates after index catheter ablation in obese patients. Sustained weight loss also results in a reduction in AF-related comorbidities and mortality.

Download Full-text

P3453Gender difference in impact of ischemic heart disease on long-term outcome in patients with heart failure reduced ejection fraction

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehz745.0326 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

H J Kim ◽

M A Kim ◽

D I Lee ◽

H L Kim ◽

D J Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Free Survival ◽

Reduced Ejection Fraction ◽

Clinical Events ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

Abstract Background Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major underlying etiology in patients with heart failure (HF). Although the impact of IHD on HF is evolving, there is a lack of understanding of how IHD affects long-term clinical outcomes and uncertainty about the role of IHD in determining the risk of clinical outcomes by gender. Purpose This study aims to evaluate the gender difference in impact of IHD on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods Study data were obtained from the nationwide registry which is a prospective multicenter cohort and included patients who were hospitalized for HF composed of 3,200 patients. A total of 1,638 patients with HFrEF were classified into gender (women 704 and men 934). The primary outcome was all-cause death during follow-up and the composite clinical events of all-cause death and HF readmission during follow-up were also obtained. HF readmission was defined as re-hospitalization because of HF exacerbation. Results 133 women (18.9%) were died and 168 men (18.0%) were died during follow-up (median 489 days; inter-quartile range, 162–947 days). As underlying cause of HF, IHD did not show significant difference between genders. Women with HFrEF combined with IHD had significantly lower cumulative survival rate than women without IHD at long-term follow-up (74.8% vs. 84.9%, Log Rank p=0.001, Figure 1). However, men with HFrEF combined with IHD had no significant difference in survival rate compared with men without IHD (79.3% vs. 83.8%, Log Rank p=0.067). After adjustment for confounding factors, Cox regression analysis showed that IHD had a 1.43-fold increased risk for all-cause mortality independently only in women. (odds ratio 1.43, 95% confidence interval 1.058–1.929, p=0.020). On the contrary to the death-free survival rates, there were significant differences in composite clinical events-free survival rates between patients with HFrEF combined with IHD and HFrEF without IHD in both genders. Figure 1 Conclusions IHD as predisposing cause of HF was an important risk factor for long-term mortality in women with HFrEF. Clinician need to aware of gender-based characteristics in patients with HF and should manage and monitor them appropriately and gender-specifically. Women with HF caused by IHD also should be treated more meticulously to avoid a poor prognosis. Acknowledgement/Funding None

Download Full-text