Characteristics of patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation: trends over a seven-year period 1999-2005.
BACKGROUND
Catheter ablation procedures for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) have dramatically increased since triggers of AF were first described in 1998.


OBJECTIVE
We explored changes in patient characteristics in patients referred for catheter ablation of AF over a seven-year period from 1999 through 2005.


METHODS
Patient characteristics were examined for all patients undergoing AF ablation from 1999 through 2005 at the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS). The gender of patients undergoing ablation was also compared with outpatients seen at UPHS with a primary diagnosis of AF.


RESULTS
From 1999 to 2005 the number of patients undergoing ablation has increased steadily, from 29 patients in 1999 to 265 patients in 2005 (P < 0.01). Patients have become older (47 to 56 years; P < 0.01), with more persistent or permanent AF (17% to 45%; P < 0.01), larger left atrial size (4.0 to 4.4 cm; P < 0.01), and fewer antiarrhythmic drugs used prior to ablation (3.9 to 2.0 drugs; P < 0.01). Patients undergoing ablation have been predominantly male, with a significantly higher male prevalence than patients seen in the UPHS outpatient primary care clinic with AF (77% vs 59% male; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients undergoing AF ablation from 1999 to 2005 are older, with larger left atrial size, more persistent/permanent AF, and fewer prior antiarrhythmic agents used. Compared with the gender-specific rates of AF in the population, the majority of patients referred for ablation are men, suggesting a referral bias against this invasive procedure for women. These findings are important for interpreting the outcome of ablation in the current era, and for designing prospective randomized trials.
Gerstenfeld
Edward P
EP
Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. edward.gerstenfeld@uphs.upenn.edu
Callans
David
D
Dixit
Sanjay
S
Lin
David
D
Cooper
Joshua
J
Russo
Andrea M
AM
Verdino
Ralph
R
Weiner
Mark
M
Zado
Erica
E
Marchlinski
Francis E
FE
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology