title: Renal sympathetic denervation improves rate control in patients with symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation and hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) improves ventricular heart rate (HR) control in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients (aged 57.5 ± 10.2 years, 76.2% male) with persistent AF and hypertension underwent RSD and completed 7-days follow-up evaluations, including 24-hour Holter monitoring (Holter), blood pressure (BP), 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). Patients were grouped into tertiles of average HR at baseline Holter recording for evaluation of RSD effects on atrioventricular (AV) node (group 1: HR ≧ 90 bpm; group 2: 80 bpm ≦ HR < 90 bpm; group 3: HR < 80 bpm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients successfully underwent RSD without any complications. The clinical and procedural characteristics were similar in all groups of patients. No significant changes in BP were observed in the three groups before and after RSD. Compared with baseline, the average HR (Holter) of patients in group 1, 2 and 3 had a reduction of 22.6 ± 13.2 bpm (83.3 ± 4.9 vs 106.0 ± 14.6, P = 0.004), 9.7 ± 7.8 bpm (75.7 ± 7.6 vs 85.4 ± 3.7, P = 0.017) and 2.3 ± 2.9 bpm (71.4 ± 4.0 vs 73.7 ± 4.7, P = 0.089) at 7 days after RSD, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RSD could improve ventricular HR control in patients with persistent AF. RSD slowed AV node conduction in baseline HR-dependent manner. RSD may become an alternative non-pharmaceutical tool for rate control in patients with persistent AF.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Qiu
authors: Qijun
authors: Q
authors: Shan
authors: Chun
authors: C
authors: Chen
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Geng
authors: Jiqun
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: Xiujuan
authors: X
authors: Zhou
authors: Weichong
authors: W
authors: Qian
authors: Lijun
authors: L
authors: Tang
authors: Yuehui
authors: Y
authors: Yin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000503:physiopathology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000294:innervation*; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Renal sympathetic denervation | heart rate | persistent atrial fibrillation | hypertension