title: Cellular damage, platelet activation, and inflammatory response after pulmonary vein isolation: a randomized study comparing radiofrequency ablation with cryoablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental data suggest that use of cryoablation in pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is associated with less cell damage and less thrombus formation compared to radiofrequency (RF) energy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that cryoablation significantly reduces markers of cell damage, platelet activation, and inflammation in patients undergoing PVI for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with symptomatic drug-resistant AF (age 56 ± 9 years, 48 males, 38 with paroxysmal AF) were randomly assigned to undergo PVI using either an open irrigated-tip RF catheter or a cryoballoon. Markers of cell damage (high-sensitive troponin T [hs-TnT], microparticles), platelet activation (platelet reactivity by aggregometry, expression of platelet surface proteins P-selectin and activated glycoprotein [GP] IIb/IIIa), and inflammatory response (high-sensitive C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]) were determined before and up to 48 hours after the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PVI resulted in a significant rise in hs-TnT, microparticles, markers of platelet activation, and hs-CRP over time, with distinct temporal patterns for each parameter. However, after Bonferroni correction for repeated measurements, no significant differences were noted in these parameters between patients treated with cryoablation or RF energy. Procedural time was significantly shorter in patients treated with cryoballoon (177 ± 30 minutes vs 200 ± 46 minutes, P = .03), with no differences in fluoroscopic time, periprocedural complications, or success rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cryoablation and RF energy result in a comparable rise of markers of cell damage, platelet activation and inflammatory response. The data do not support the concept of an improved safety profile for cryoablation in PVI.
authors.affiliation: Herz-Zentrum Bad Krozingen, Bad Krozingen, Germany. claudia.h.siklody@gmail.com
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herrera Siklódy
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arentz
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minners
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jesel
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stratz
authors.forename: Christian M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Valina
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalusche
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toti
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trenk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D020107:Troponin T; D002097:C-Reactive Protein