Effect of catheter ablation on quality of life of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
BACKGROUND
Although improved quality of life is one of the primary aims of catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, there is a paucity of published data on this topic.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of curative catheter ablation on the quality of life of patients with symptomatic, drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.


METHODS
This was a prospective nonrandomized study of 63 consecutively enrolled patients (49 men and 14 women, age 56 +/- 7 years). Patients were excluded from the study if they had significant structural heart disease. The ablation strategy consisted of systematic isolation of all pulmonary veins, followed by limited linear ablation in the atria comprising left isthmus ablation (between the left inferior pulmonary vein and lateral mitral annulus) and cavotricuspid isthmus ablation. Patients completed quality-of-life questionnaires comprising the SF-36 and Symptom Checklist at baseline and 3 and 12 months following ablation.


RESULTS
Fifty-four patients (86%) were free of symptomatic recurrence at 12-month follow-up. Successful ablation resulted in a significant improvement of all eight subscales of the SF-36 and of symptom frequency and severity scores of the symptom checklist at 3 months. This improvement was maintained at 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined pulmonary vein isolation and linear atrial ablation has a high success rate for cure of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Successful curative catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation significantly and persistently improved quality of life during long-term follow-up. This improvement in quality of life was accompanied by a significant reduction in arrhythmia symptom frequency and severity.
Weerasooriya
Rukshen
R
Hôpital Cardiologique du Haut-Lévêque, Bordeaux-Pessac, France. ruk@ziplip.com
Jaïs
Pierre
P
Hocini
Mélèze
M
Scavée
Christophe
C
MacLe
Laurent
L
Hsu
Li Fern
LF
Sandars
Prashanthan
P
Garrigue
Stephane
S
Clémenty
Jacques
J
Haïssaguerre
Michel
M
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome