title: Head-Up Tilt.
abstract: Autonomic dysfunction has been associated with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). The head-up tilt test (HUTT) is an important diagnostic tool for autonomic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to examine atrial fibrillation recurrence after RFCA by performing HUTT. A total of 488 consecutive patients with PAF who underwent RFCA were prospectively enrolled. HUTT was positive in 154 (31.6%) patients after a mean follow-up of 22.7 ± 3.5 months, and 163 (33.4%) had a recurrence. HUTT positive was significantly higher in PAF patients with recurrence compared to those without (68 (41.7%) versus 86 (26.5%), P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that HUTT positive (HR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.49-2.48, P < 0.001), left atrial diameter (HR: 1.77; 95%CI: 1.15-2.11, P = 0.004), AF duration (HR: 1.27; 95%CI: 0.98-1.83, P = 0.014), and sleep apnea (HR: 1.02; 95%CI: 0.81-1.53, P = 0.032) were independent predictors of clinical recurrence after RFCA. The success rate of ablation was 70.4% in patients in the HUTT negative group compared with 58.4% in patients in the HUTT positive group (log-rank P = 0.006). Patients with a positive headup tilt test were at an increased risk of AF recurrence after catheter ablation. Our results suggest that HUTT was a significant predictor for AF recurrence after catheter ablation for PAF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Function, Henan Province People's Hospital & The People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University.
authors.forename: Jinyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shuaibing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zihao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Guihua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qingyi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012008:Recurrence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018667:Tilt-Table Test / Q000379:methods*