[Effects of antiarrhythmic drug use on atrial fibrillation recurrence in atrial fibrillation patients post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation].
OBJECTIVE
This prospective and randomize-controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of antiarrhythmic drug use (AADs) on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in atrial fibrillation patients post circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CAPV).


METHODS
Seventy-four consecutive AF patients underwent CAPV (41 paroxysmal and 33 drug refractory AF) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (Group A) or AADs (Group B) for 3 months. Monthly standard electrocardiograms (ECG) and Holter monitoring were performed to assess AF recurrences during 17 - 28 months follow-up.


RESULTS
CAPV was successful in all patients. The recurrence rate of AF in Group B was significantly lower than that in Group A at 3 months post CAPV (13.5% vs. 37.8%, P < 0.01) and similar thereafter (29.7% vs. 24.3% at 12 months and 8.1% vs. 8.1% at more than 12 months, all P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in terms of total recurrence rate between the two groups (37.8% vs. 32.4%, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Post CAPV antiarrhythmic drug therapy could only decrease the early AF recurrence rate but was not effective for decreasing AF recurrence rate on later stage.
Wu
Gang
G
Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
Jiang
Hong
H
Huang
Cong-xin
CX
Yang
Bo
B
Huang
He
H
Wang
Yue-ling
YL
Wang
Xiao-hong
XH
Liu
Hua-fen
HF
Yang
Xin-hong
XH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011667:Pulmonary Veins; D012008:Recurrence
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents