Cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation temporarily modulates the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system.
OBJECTIVE
Modulation of the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system (ICANS) has been described to occur during radiofrequency pulmonary vein (PV) isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and has been controversially proposed to increase clinical success. Energy source used for PV isolation might influence ICANS modulation. The effect of balloon-delivered cryoenergy on the ICANS is unknown. We conducted a study investigating acute periprocedural effect on ICAN as well as changes in heart rate variability (HRV) for standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and triangular index (TI) as surrogates for ICANS modulation after cryoballoon PV isolation.


METHODS
Fourteen consecutive patients without structural heart disease underwent cryoballoon PV isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Acute changes in heart rate requiring pacing during the procedure were recorded. HRV was tested by Holter ECG for SDNN and TI before ablation and after 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months following ablation.


RESULTS
Fifty-five out of 56 PV were isolated (98%) with short-term 6-month freedom from paroxysmal AF of 64% by one single procedure. Five patients (36%) showed significant bradycardia during balloon thawing requiring temporary pacing. HRV decreased significantly immediately after PV isolation for both SDNN and TI until 1 month, gradually normalizing toward 3 months follow-up. HRV modulation was not different between patients with or without AF recurrences.


CONCLUSIONS
Cryoballoon PV isolation significantly modulates the ICANS, but only temporarily for up to 3 months, measured by HRV changes after ablation.
Oswald
Hanno
H
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany. hanno_oswald@gmx.de
Klein
Gunnar
G
Koenig
Thorben
T
Luesebrink
Ulrich
U
Duncker
David
D
Gardiwal
Ajmal
A
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013614:Tachycardia, Paroxysmal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome