Results of complex left atrial ablation of long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to identify variables associated with successful long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR) after a single ablation of long-lasting persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).


METHODS
Complex left atrial (LA) ablation was performed in 100 patients. Restoration of SR by ablation was the desired procedure endpoint.


RESULTS
SR was restored by ablation in 38 patients during the first procedure. Following one ablation, 50 patients remained in SR for 31 +/- 14 months. SR maintenance was associated with shorter duration of the persistent AF (median 14 vs. 22 months; P = 0.05), lower proportion of the LA points exhibiting voltage <0.2 mV (median 20% vs. 33%; P = 0.006), and higher proportion of LA points showing voltage >1 mV (median 15% vs. 11%; P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Among clinical variables, shorter duration of persistent AF and higher voltage recorded around the LA predicted long-term maintenance of SR after single ablation.
Department of Cardiology, Heart Center, Hospital Podlesí a.s., Hranicní, Trinec, Czech Republic. martin.fiala@gmail.com
Martin
M
Fiala
Jan
J
Chovancík
Dorota
D
Wojnarová
Veronika
V
Bulková
Henryk
H
Szymeczek
Renáta
R
Nevralová
Radek
R
Neuwirth
Otakar
O
Jiravský
Libor
L
Sknouril
Miloslav
M
Dorda
Jaroslav
J
Januska
Marian
M
Branny
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome