title: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with concomitant sinus bradycardia-Insights from the German Ablation Registry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This investigation addresses procedural characteristics of catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and sinus bradycardia.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the prospective, multi-center German Ablation Registry 1073 patients with sinus rhythm at the time of AF ablation were divided into two groups according to heart rate at start of procedure (A, <60 beats per minute (bpm), n=197; B, 60-99bpm, n=876).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute procedural success was high (≥98%) and similar between groups. Procedure duration and energy application time were increased in group A (180min vs. 155min and 2561s vs. 1879s, respectively). Major complications were more frequent in group A (2.2% vs. 0.5%), and a greater proportion of these patients was discharged under antiarrhythmic medication (64% vs. 52%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Catheter ablation of AF with concomitant sinus bradycardia is associated with high procedural efficacy, longer procedure- and energy application durations, and a slightly elevated complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Maura M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zylla
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Coburg, Ketschendorfer Str. 33, Coburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brachmann
authors.affiliation: Isar Heart Center Munich, Sonnenstraße 24-26, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lewalter
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology/Intensive Care Medicine, Heart Center Munich-Bogenhausen, Englschalkinger Str. 77, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Hospital St. Georg, Lohmühlenstraße 5, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kuck
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Vivantes Hospital, Klinikum am Urban, Dieffenbachstraße 1, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andresen
authors.affiliation: University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology/Electrophysiology, Martinistraße 52, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: Stiftung Institut für Herzinfarktforschung, IHF, Bremserstraße 79, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochadel
authors.affiliation: Stiftung Institut für Herzinfarktforschung, IHF, Bremserstraße 79, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Senges
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hugo A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Katus
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: dierk.thomas@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Dierk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Complications; Registry; Sinus bradycardia; Sinus node disease