title: Long term follow up of radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial flutter: clinical course and predictors of atrial fibrillation occurrence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the time to onset and the predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) during long term follow up of patients with typical atrial flutter (AFL) treated with transisthmic ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective multicentre study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  383 patients (75.4% men, mean (SD) age 61.7 (11.1) years) who underwent transisthmic ablation for typical AFL were investigated. In 239 patients (62.4%) AF was present before ablation. Ablation proved successful in 367 patients (95.8%). During a mean (SD) follow up of 20.5 (12.4) months, 41.5% of patients reported AF. The cumulative probability of postablation AF increased continuously as time passed: it was 22% at six months, 36% at one year, 50% at two years, 58% at three years, and 63% at four years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AF occurred in a large proportion of patients after transisthmic catheter ablation of typical AFL. The occurrence of AF was progressive during follow up. Preablation AF, age < 65 years, and left atrial size > 50 mm are associated with postablation AF occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ospedale Civile, Mirano, Italy. ulss13mirano.elettrofisiologia@wind.it.net
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertaglia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zoppo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Proclemer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verlato
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corò
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mantovan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Este
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zerbo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pascotto
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors