scholarly journals Low mortality rate after atrial fibrillation ablation: results from the Netherlands Heart Registration

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Mol ◽  
M.M Roefs ◽  
Y Blaauw ◽  
J.S.S.G De Jong ◽  
J.R De Groot

Abstract Background Ablation therapy is widely used as a treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) and is associated with 3.6% minor and major complications in the Netherlands. Mortality following AF ablation is rare, but has been reported 0.46% in the United States in recent literature. We hypothesize that in the Netherlands, where AF ablation is performed in high volume centres only, 30-day mortality rate is low. Purpose To describe 30-day mortality in the Netherlands after AF ablation. Methods In the Netherlands Heart Registration, all 16 Dutch ablation centres participate and 14 out of 16 centres reported AF ablation outcomes using predefined variables for quality purposes. The number of reported procedures per centre was on average 236/year [range, 33–593], where 87.5% of the centres perform >150 AF ablations per year. All patients who underwent AF ablation were eligible for this analysis irrespective of ablation method used, or whether it was the first or a redo AF ablation. 30-day mortality was derived from, the municipal death registration, and individually checked by each participating ablation centre. No further analysis was available on the cause of death. Results In total, 20,230 patients who underwent AF ablation between 01-01-2013 and 31-12-2018 were included. The majority of patients were male (68%), mean age was 60.9±9.8 years, mean body mass index was 27.3±4.2kg/m2, and the average CHA2DS2VASc score was 1.6±1.3. Reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (<50%) was present in 13.2% of the patients. Paroxysmal AF was present in 72.7% of patients, persistent AF in 24.9% and longstanding persistent in 2.3%. The index procedure was a redo-ablation in 22.7%. Mortality outcomes were available for 18,413 (91.0%) procedures, as some centres had a backlog of patients that needed death certificate checking [range, 0% - 19.4%], this factor was considered random. In total 12 patients (0.07%) died within 30-days after an AF ablation procedure. These patients were 68.5 years old [range, 55–76 years], 91.7% had a history of paroxysmal AF and 8.3% persistent AF, LV ejection fraction was <50% in 8.3% and 25% of the patients had a previous AF ablation (p=0.02 for age, others p=NS). Conclusion Patients undergoing AF ablation in the Netherlands mainly presented with paroxysmal AF. In a setting where AF ablation is performed in high volume centres only, such as the Netherlands, 30-day mortality is very low after AF ablation. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Fujimoto ◽  
N Doi ◽  
K Hirai ◽  
M Naito ◽  
S Shizuta ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction The presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is associated with increased risks of mortality and hospitalization for heart failure (HF). Although prior studies reported that catheter ablation (CA) for AF in low LVEF patients reduced risks of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization, the predictors of worsening HF after ablation has not been adequately evaluated. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of improvement in LVEF after AF ablation on the incidence of subsequent HF hospitalization in patients with low LVEF. Methods The Kansai Plus Atrial Fibrillation (KPAF) Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling 5,013 consecutive patients undergoing first-time ablation for AF. The current study population consisted of 1,031 patients with reduced LVEF of <60%. We divided the study population into 3 groups according to LVEF at follow-up; 678 patients (65.8%) with improved LVEF (≥5 U change in LVEF), 288 patients (27.9%) with unchanged LVEF (−5 U ≤ change in LVEF <5 U) and 65 patients (6.3%) with worsened LVEF (<−5 U change in LVEF). Results During the median follow-up of 1067 [879–1226] days, patients improved LVEF had lower rate of HF hospitalization, compared with those with unchanged and worsened LVEF (2.1%, 8.0%, and 21.5%, respectively, P<0.0001). Recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias were documented in 43.5%, 47.2% and 67.7%, respectively (P=0.0008). Figure 1 Conclusion Among patients with reduced LVEF undergoing AF ablation, patients with subsequently improved LVEF in association with maintained sinus rhythm had markedly lower risk of HF hospitalization during follow-up as compared with those with unchanged or worsened LVEF.


Author(s):  
Yichi Zhang ◽  
Abdel Hadi El Hajjar ◽  
Chao Huang ◽  
Aneesh Dhore-Patil ◽  
Mario Mekhael ◽  
...  

Introduction: Larger left atrial appendage (LAA) ostium area and greater left atrial (LA) volume have been associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) leads to morphological and functional changes within the LA and LAA, some of which are not well studied. Here, we present findings regarding post-ablation changes of the LAA ostia and correlate them with various LA, LAA and left ventricular (LV) functional and morphological metrics. Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients scheduled to undergo first-time radiofrequency CA for AF. Catheter ablation techniques included PVI with or without additional ablations. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was used to assess LA, LAA and LV morphology and function, including LAA ostium area, LA/LAA volume and volume index, LA ejection fraction, LA strain, and LV ejection fraction. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used for correlating LAA ostial dimensions with other LA morphological and functional metrics. The t-test or two-sample Wilcoxon test were used to compare LA and LAA morphological parameters. Results: A total of 101 patients with AF were included in this study. The mean age was 60.1 ± 11.1 years, 69% were male, the average BMI was 29.22 ± 5.08. The LAA ostial area reduced significantly from 3.84 ± 1.15 cm before ablation to 3.42 ± 0.96 cm after ablation (p=0.0004). This reduction was asymmetrical, as the minor axis length decreased from 1.92 cm to 1.77 cm without significant changes in the major axis. LVEF increased from a pre-ablation average of 48.26% to a post-ablation average of 53.62% (p=0.015). Correlation of pre-ablation LVEF and LAA ostium area showed a near-significant negative trend (r=-0.21, p=0.083). LAEF correlated negatively with LAA ostial area (r=-0.289, p=0.0057), total LA strain (r=-0.248, p=0.0185), and passive LA strain (r=-0.208, p=0.049). Conclusion: There is a significant asymmetrical reduction of the LAA ostial area after AF ablation that is independent of LVEF changes. Larger LAA ostial area was associated with lower LAEF and LA strain. Remodeling of the LAA after AF ablation may help account for reduced risk of stroke and increased cardiac function.


EP Europace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1812-1821
Author(s):  
Bettina Kirstein ◽  
Sebastian Neudeck ◽  
Thomas Gaspar ◽  
Judith Piorkowski ◽  
Simon Wechselberger ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist. Catheter ablation has been reported to restore left ventricular (LV) function but patients benefit differently. This study investigated the correlation between left atrial (LA) fibrosis extent and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery after AF ablation. Methods and results In this study, 103 patients [64 years, 69% men, 79% persistent AF, LVEF 33% interquartile range (IQR) (25–38)] undergoing first time AF ablation were investigated. Identification of LA fibrosis and selection of ablation strategy were based on sinus rhythm voltage mapping. Continuous rhythm monitoring was used to assess ablation success. Improvement in post-ablation LVEF was measured as primary study endpoint. An absolute increase in post-ablation LVEF ≥10% was defined as ‘Super Response’. Left atrial fibrosis was present in 38% of patients. After ablation LVEF increased by absolute 15% (IQR 6–25) (P &lt; 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction improvement was higher in patients without LA fibrosis [15% (IQR 10–25) vs. 10% (IQR 0–20), P &lt; 0.001]. An inverse correlation between LVEF improvement and the extent of LA fibrosis was found (R2 = 0.931). In multivariate analysis, the presence of LA fibrosis was the only independent predictor for failing LVEF improvement [odds ratio 7.2 (95% confidence interval 2.2–23.4), P &lt; 0.001]. Echocardiographic ‘Super Response’ was observed in 55/64 (86%) patients without and 21/39 (54%) patients with LA fibrosis, respectively (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Presence and extent of LA fibrosis predict LVEF response in HF patients undergoing AF ablation. The assessment of LA fibrosis may impact prognostic stratification and clinical management in HF patients with AF.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1829
Author(s):  
Marcin Wełnicki ◽  
Iwona Gorczyca ◽  
Wiktor Wójcik ◽  
Olga Jelonek ◽  
Małgorzata Maciorowska ◽  
...  

Background: Hyperuricemia is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation (AF). The prevalence of hyperuricemia and its clinical significance in patients with already diagnosed AF remain unexplored. Methods: The Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) registry includes consecutive patients with AF hospitalized in 10 Polish cardiology centers from January to December 2019. This analysis included patients in whom serum uric acid (SUA) was measured. Results: From 3999 POL-AF patients, 1613 were included in the analysis. The mean age of the subjects was 72 ± 11.6 years, and the mean SUA was 6.88 ± 1.93 mg/dL. Hyperuricemia was found in 43% of respondents. Eighty-four percent of the respondents were assigned to the high cardiovascular risk group, and 45% of these had SUA >7 mg/dL. Comparison of the extreme SUA groups (<5 mg/dL vs. >7 mg/dL) showed significant differences in renal parameters, total cholesterol concentration, and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). Multivariate regression analysis showed that SUA >7 mg/dL (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.32–2.30) and GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.46–2.48) are significant markers of EF <40% in the study population. Female sex was a protective factor (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56–0.97). The cut-off point for SUA with 60% sensitivity and specificity indicative of an EF <40% was 6.9 mg/dL. Conclusions: Although rarely assessed, hyperuricemia appears to be common in patients with AF. High SUA levels may be a significant biomarker of reduced left ventricular EF in AF patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Marcusohn ◽  
O Kobo ◽  
M Postnikov ◽  
D Epstein ◽  
Y Agmon ◽  
...  

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background  The diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) induced cardiomyopathy can be challenging. It relies on ruling out other causes of dilated cardiomyopathy, upon recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following return to sinus rhythm (SR). Aim  The aim of this study was to identify clinical and echocardiographic predictors for developing new dilated cardiomyopathy in patients with AF or atrial flutter (AFL). Methods  This is a retrospective study conducted in a large tertiary care center. Patients that suffered deterioration of LVEF under 50% during AF demonstrated by pre-cardioversion trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) were compared to those with preserved LV function during AF. All patients had documented preserved LVEF at baseline (EF &gt;50%) while in SR. Patients with a previous history of reduced LVEF during SR were excluded. Results From a total of 482 patients included in the final analysis, 80 (17%) patients had reduced LV function and 402 (83%) had preserved LV function during the pre-cardioversion TEE. Patients with reduced LVEF were more likely to be male and with a more rapid ventricular response during AF/AFL. A history of prosthetic valves was also identified as a risk factor for reduced LVEF. Patients with reduced LVEF also had higher incidence of TR and RV dysfunction. Conclusion In "real world" experience, male patients with rapid ventricular response during AF or AFL are more prone to LVEF reduction. Patients with prosthetic valves are also at risk for LVEF reduction during AF/AFL. Lastly, TR and RV dysfunction may indicate relatively long-standing AF with an associated reduction in LVEF.


Author(s):  
Akshar Jaglan ◽  
Sarah Roemer ◽  
Ana Cristina Perez Moreno ◽  
Bijoy K Khandheria

Abstract Aims Myocardial work (MW) is a novel parameter that can be used in a clinical setting to assess left ventricular (LV) pressures and deformation. We sought to distinguish patterns of global MW index in hypertensive vs. non-hypertensive patients and to look at differences between categories of hypertension. Methods and results Sixty-five hypertensive patients (mean age 65 ± 13 years; 30 male) and 15 controls (mean age 38 ± 12 years; 7 male) underwent transthoracic echocardiography at rest. Hypertensive patients were subdivided into Stage 1 (n = 32) and Stage 2 (n = 33) hypertension based on 2017 American College of Cardiology guidelines. Exclusion criteria were suboptimal image quality for myocardial deformation analysis, reduced ejection fraction, valvular heart disease, intracardiac shunt, and arrhythmia. Global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency were estimated from LV pressure–strain loops utilizing proprietary software from speckle-tracking echocardiography. LV systolic and diastolic pressures were estimated using non-invasive brachial artery cuff pressure. Global longitudinal strain and LV ejection fraction were preserved between the groups with no statistically significant difference, whereas there was a statically significant difference between the control and two hypertension groups in GWI (P = 0.01), GCW (P &lt; 0.001), and GWW (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Non-invasive MW analysis allows better understanding of LV response under conditions of increased afterload. MW is an advanced assessment of LV systolic function in hypertension patients, giving a closer look at the relationship between LV pressure and contractility in settings of increased load dependency than LV ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain.


2016 ◽  
Vol 119 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohong Liu ◽  
Huan Wang ◽  
Ruru Shang ◽  
Jin Zhang ◽  
Yingjie Chen

Chronic heart failure (CHF) causes trouble breathing in patients. We recently demonstrated that systolic pressure overload by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) causes severe left ventricular (LV) failure that is associated with massive lung fibrosis and lung vascular remodeling, and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in mice. Here, we further studied the effect of CHF on lung structure and function in mice, and the effect of CHF on lung fibrosis in patients. We demonstrated that chronic TAC resulted in decrease of LV ejection fraction, and increases LV weight, lung weight, and RV weight, as well as their ratios to bodyweight. Interestingly, the development of LV failure is associated with a significant lung dysfunction as evidenced by a ~2-fold increase of lung resistance and a ~50% dramatic decrease of lung compliance in vivo . Lung compliance was also significantly reduced ~50% in lung isolated from CHF mice, indicating the decrease of lung compliance is due to the structure change of lung. The reduced lung compliance in CHF mice is significantly correlated with the decrease of LV ejection fraction, the increase of lung weight, and RV hypertrophy, suggesting the reduced lung compliance might contribute to the development of RV hypertrophy and failure. Histochemical analyses further demonstrated that CHF causes massive lung vascular, perivascular and interstitial fibrosis, as well as increase of lung myofibroblast proliferation. By using the chimeric mice created by transplantation of Bone Marrow Derived Cells (BMDCs) from GFP mice into wild type mice, we demonstrated that BMDCs contribute to the increased lung myofibroblasts and lung fibrosis. However, BMDCs don’t differentiate into lung smooth muscles cells in CHF mice. Moreover, we demonstrated that inhibition of lung inflammation by a cytokine therapy protocol is effective in attenuating TAC-induced lung fibrosis. Finally, we demonstrated that end-stage CHF causes increase of lung fibrosis in patients, and the increased lung fibrosis is associated with RV hypertrophy and dysfunction in patients. Together, our study demonstrated that end-stage CHF causes lung fibrosis and lung dysfunction, and inhibition of inflammation is effective in attenuating heart failure induced lung fibrosis.


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