scholarly journals Predictors of silent cerebral infarction associated with catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Furukawa ◽  
T Watanabe ◽  
T Yamada ◽  
T Morita ◽  
S Tamaki ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Cather ablation (CA) has been identified as an effective and safe treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). One of the serious complications associated AF is cerebral infarction (CI). Recent studies reported that CA was associated with lower incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with AF. However, CA for AF itself has a potential risk of CI. Several previous studies showed that the incidence of silent CI (SCI) assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain occurred 5 to 18% during CA for AF. Recently, CA for AF made a remarkable progress in technology. However, there are few information available that the impact of 3-dimensional electroanatomical mapping system on the incidence of SCI. This study aimed to clarify the prevalence and predictors of SCI during CA for AF. Methods We enrolled 893 consecutive patients (male 534, age 71±10 years), who underwent CA for AF and MRI of brain 1 day after the procedure. We collected patients data such as physical examinations, blood sampling, echo cardiography, and CA data. A brain MRI was performed the next day following the procedure to identify any CIs. One-hundred and forty-six of patients used the Rhythmia® mapping system catheter, and the other mapping system such as CARTO or EnSite system used in the remaining 747 patients. Results The MRI depicted acute micro-CIs in 144 (16%) patients, but neither symptoms nor abnormal neurological findings were present in these patients. Patients with SCI had significantly higher prevalence of persistent AF (60 vs 43%, p=0.0002), CHADS2 Score (2 (1–3) vs 1 (1–2), p=0.0001), higher prevalence of previous stroke (19 vs 12%, p=0.02), larger left atrial (LA) diameter (43.2±6.4 vs 41.7±6.5mm, p=0.01), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (59.0±13.2 vs 64.2±11.3%, p≤0.0001), higher B-type natriuretic peptide level (221±236 vs 163±225 pg/dl, p≤0.0001), more Rhythmia® mapping system use (30 vs 8%, p<0.0001), and longer procedure time (129±46 vs 108±39 min, p≤0.0001) than those without SCI, while there were no significant differences in age, LA appendage flow velocity, kind of anti-coagulant agent between the two groups. Multivariate regression analysis identified Rhythmia® use [odds ratio (OR) 4.26, (95% CI 2.32–7.84), p=0.0001], LVEF (OR 1.02, p=0.0059), CHADS2 score (OR 1.27, p=0.009), and procedure time (OR 1.005, p=0.04) as independent risk factors of acute SCI during CA for AF. Conclusion Acute SCI occurred about 16% after CA for AF. Rhythmia® mapping system use exhibited a higher incidence of acute SCI after catheter ablation for AF than the other mapping system use. Rhythmia® mapping system use, LVEF, CHADS2 score, and procedure time are associated with SCI relating CA for AF. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Author(s):  
T. V. Zolotarova ◽  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) directly leads to a cognitive function decline regardless of the cerebrovascular fatal events, but it is unclear whether the sinus rhythm restoration and reducing the AF burden can reduce the rate of this decreasement. Data on the effect of radiofrequency ablation on patients’ cognitive functions are conflicting and need to be studied. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of atrial fibrillation radiofrequency catheter ablation on cognitive functions in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. The impact of AF radiofrequency catheter ablation on cognitive function in 136 patients (mean age 59.7 ± 8.6 years) with chronic heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and compared with 58 patients in the control group (58.2 ± 8.1 years), which did not perform ablation and continued the tactics of drug antiarrhythmic therapy was investigated. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Test (MoCA) at the enrollment stage and 2 years follow-up. Decreased cognitive function was defined as a MoCA test score < 26 points, cognitive impairment < 23 points. Two years after the intervention, there was a positive dynamics (baseline MoCA test — 25,1 ± 2,48, 2-year follow-up — 26,51 ± 2,33, p < 0,001) in the ablation group and negative in the control group (25,47 ± 2,85 and 24,57 ± 3,61, respectively, p < 0,001). Pre-ablation cognitive impairment was significantly associated with improved cognitive function 2 years after AF ablation according to polynomial regression analysis. The obtained data suggest a probable positive effect of AF radiofrequency ablation on cognitive functions in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.


Author(s):  
Satoshi Yanagisawa ◽  
Yasuya Inden ◽  
Shuro Riku ◽  
Kazumasa Suga ◽  
Koichi Furui ◽  
...  

Introduction: The risk of developing left atrial (LA) thrombi after initial catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) and requirements for imaging evaluation for thrombi screening at repeat ablation is unclear. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of thrombus development and frequency of any imaging study evaluating thrombus formation during repeat ablation for AF. Methods: Of 2,066 patients undergoing initial catheter ablation for AF with uninterrupted oral anticoagulation, 615 patients underwent repeat ablation after 258.0 (105.0-882.0) days. We investigated which factors were associated with safety outcomes and requirements for thrombi screening. Results: All patients underwent at least one imaging examination to screen for thrombi in the first session, but the examination rate decreased to 476 patients (77%) before the repeat procedure. The frequency of imaging evaluations was 5.0%, 11%, 21%, 84%, and 91% for transesophageal echocardiography and 18%, 33%, 49%, 98%, and 99% for any imaging modality at repeat ablation performed ≤60 days, ≤90 days, ≤180 days, >180 days, and >1 year after the initial procedure, respectively. Three patients (0.5%) developed LA thrombi at repeat ablation due to identifiable causes, and no patients had thromboembolic events when no imaging evaluation was performed. Multivariate analysis revealed that repeat ablation >180 days, non-paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction were predictors of the risk of thrombus development. Conclusions: The risk development of thrombus at repeat ablation for AF was low. There needs to be a risk stratification for the requirement of imaging screening for thrombi at repeat ablation for AF.


ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 2168-2173
Author(s):  
Gerhard Hindricks ◽  
Nikolaos Dagres ◽  
Philipp Sommer ◽  
Andreas Bollmann

Catheter ablation has evolved to an established therapy for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Complete pulmonary vein isolation currently is the best endpoint for catheter ablation. This can be achieved with balloon-based cryoablation as well as by point-by-point radiofrequency ablation supported by non-fluoroscopic mapping technologies—both technologies seem equally effective. AF catheter ablation is indicated in patients with symptomatic AF usually after failure of antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Selected patients with AF and tachycardia-induced heart failure may benefit from ablation by a significant improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction. The success rate (i.e. freedom from AF and atrial tachycardia) after a single procedure is approximately 50–60% for patients with paroxysmal AF and 40% for patients with persistent AF. With multiple procedures, freedom from AF can be achieved in up to 80% of patients with paroxysmal AF and 60% of patients with persistent AF. When performed after failed rhythm control attempts with antiarrhythmic drugs, catheter ablation is superior to a further attempt with antiarrhythmic drug medication. When applied as first-line therapy, catheter ablation tends to be slightly superior to first-line antiarrhythmic drug treatment. The complication rate of AF catheter ablation is 5–7%; severe complications occur in 2–3% (cardiac tamponade, periprocedural stroke, atrio-oesophageal fistula). Catheter ablation significantly improves quality of life but has no proven effect on mortality and/or stroke. Thus, in general, oral anticoagulation should be continued long term even if ablation is considered successful.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Iwanami ◽  
K Jujo ◽  
S Higuchi ◽  
T Abe ◽  
M Shoda ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In the last two decades, catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) including pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been developed as a standard and effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). In patients with chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFrEF), PVI CA for AF dramatically improves LVEF, resulting in better clinical prognoses. On the contrary, there still has been no data that PVI CA for AF improves the prognosis in heart failure patients with preserved LVEF (HFpEF). Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of PVI CA for AF after the hospitalization due to decompensation of heart failureHF, focusing on LVEF. Methods From the database including 1,793 consecutive patients who were hospitalized due to congestive HF, we ultimately analyzed 624 AF patients who were discharged alive. They were assigned into two groups due that PVI CA for AF procedure done after the index hospitalization for HF; the PVI CA group (n=62) and Non-PVI CA group (n=562). For the two groups, we performed propensity-score (PS) matching using variables as follows: age, sex, LVEF, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at discharge. Further analysis was performed separately in HFrEF (LVEF &lt;50%) and HFpEF (LVEF &gt;50%). The primary endpoint of this study was death from any cause. Results In unmatched patients, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the PVI CA group had a significantly lower all-cause mortality than those in the Non-PVI CA group during 678 median follow-up period (Log-rank test: P=0.003, Figure A). In 96 PS-matched patients, patients in the PVI CA group still had lower mortality rate than those in the Non-PVI CA group (hazard ratio 0.28, 95% confidence interval 0.09–0.86, p=0.018, Figure B). When the whole study population was classified into HFrEF and HFpEF, HFrEF patients who received PVI showed a significantly lower mortality than those who did not (p=0.007); whereas, in HFpEF patients, PVI CA for AF did not make statistical difference in all-cause mortality (p=0.061). Conclusions In this observational study, PVI CA for AF may improve the mortality in HF patients with reduced LVEF. However, the prognostic impact of PVI CA for AF was not observed in HF patients with preserved LVEF. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian D McCauley ◽  
Esseim Sharma ◽  
John Dudley ◽  
Antony Chu

Introduction: Based on the data from CASTLE-AF trial, in patient with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) catheter ablation may offer a significant reduction in both death, and hospitalization, while promoting maintenance of sinus rhythm as well as improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This multi-center randomized trial is hailed as a paradigm shifting study in catheter ablation, however it is not without fault. One of the critiques of the CASTLE-AF trial was the high frequency of crossover between the treatment arms. To help sort out this potential source of confounding, we performed a systematic meta-analysis of prospective trials for catheter ablation in AF in patients with Class II through IV heart failure. Hypothesis: The reduction in death, and hospitalization, as well as the maintenance in sinus rhythm and improvement in LVEF seen CASTLE-AF trial are support by other similarly designed AF ablation trials. Methods: Using the inclusion/exclusion criteria from the CASTLE-AF trial, we performed a systematic meta-analysis of 28 published studies. Randomized and non-randomized observational studies comparing the impact of catheter ablation of AF in HF. Studies were identified using the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed. Results: A total of 29 studies were identified (n =2,339). Mean follow-up was 25 (95% confidence interval, 18-40) months. Efficacy in maintaining sinus rhythm at follow-up end was 60% (43%-76%). Left ventricular ejection fraction improved significantly during follow-up by 15% (P<0.001). Conclusions: Following our meta-analysis, we found data to support the findings of improved LVEF and maintenance of sinus rhythm reported in the CASTLE-AF trial. However, due to differences in study design, we were unable to further validate the reduction in both hospitalization and death seen in CASTLE-AF. We recommend future prospective trials be conducted without cross over to further explore this topic.


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