title: Radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: the long-term mortality and risk of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term mortality and occurrence of post-ablation atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing a radiofrequency ablation for the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A retrospective cohort study of patients (N = 362) subjected to radiofrequency ablation of the WPW syndrome at Aarhus University Hospital from 1990 to 2011. A comparison cohort (N = 3619) was generated from the Danish National Board of Health Central Population Registry. We found no significant difference in all-cause mortality when comparing the WPW group with the control group [hazard ratio (HR): 0.77 and confidence interval (CI): 0.47-1.25]. After radiofrequency ablation, the WPW group had a significantly higher risk of atrial fibrillation than the control group (HR: 4.77 and CI: 3.05-7.43). Atrial fibrillation prior to ablation (HR: 4.66 and CI: 2.09-10.41) and age over 50 years (HR: 9.79 and CI: 4.29-22.36) at the time of ablation were independent risk factors for post-ablation atrial fibrillation in the WPW group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with radiofrequency ablation-treated WPW syndrome have a post-ablation mortality that is similar to the background population. The risk of atrial fibrillation remains high after radiofrequency ablation of the WPW syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark rbborregaard@ki.au.dk.
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borregaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lukac
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerdes
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Viborg Hospital, Heibergs Alle 4, DK-8800 Viborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorthe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter Thomas
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Olof Palmes Alle 43, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens Cosedis
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Brendstrupgaardsvej 100, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik Kjærulf
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D058606:Accessory Atrioventricular Bundle / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Mortality; WPW; Wolff–Parkinson–White