title: Increased resting heart rate following radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sinus tachycardia has been observed following radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation for various kinds of supraventricular tachycardia. This study is aimed at determining the occurrence of changes in sinus-rhythm heart rate (HR) after pulmonary vein (PV) isolation in patients with paroxysmal/persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), prospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a history of AF underwent segmental or circumferential isolation of the PVs. A total of 62 consecutive patients, mean age 55 +/- 10, was included. Clinical evaluation was performed before and one, three, six, nine, and 12 months following the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following PV isolation, the mean HR significantly increased from 58 +/- 10 bpm at baseline to 67 +/- 12 bpm at one month, 71 +/- 13 bpm at three months, 69 +/- 12 bpm at six months, 69 +/- 13 at nine months, and 70 +/- 13 at 12 months follow-up. The ablation success significantly correlated with the increase in HR at one month follow-up. In three patients the mean HR increased > 25 bpm resulting in symptoms necessitating therapy with rate-controlling drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PV isolation in patients with AF may result in increased HR, which positively correlated with the ablation success. This change does not seem to resolve spontaneously after a follow-up of 12 months. Approximately 5% of patients may develop symptoms due to an increased HR, necessitating treatment with rate-controlling drugs.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, The Heart Centre, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark. rh12958@rh.dk
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Steen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pehrson
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hilden
authors.forename: Jesper Hastrup
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Svendsen
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012146:Rest; D016896:Treatment Outcome