title: Cryoablation vs. radiofrequency ablation for treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cryoablation is a promising alternative technique to RF ablation for treating paroxysmal AF with encouraging results. However, data about the efficacy and safety comparison between cryoablation and RF ablation is still lacking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We systematically search the PubMed, the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases, and finally identify 16 eligible studies including 7195 patients (2863 for cryoablation; 4332 for RF ablation). Freedom from AF/atrial tachycardial replase is slightly higher in cryoablation than RF ablation during a median 12 months of follow-up, with no statistical significant (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.98-1.13, P = 0.159). In cryoablation, the procedure time is substantially shortened (WMD: -27.66, 95% CI: -45.24 to - 10.08, P = 0.002), whereas the fluoroscopy time is identical to RF ablation (WMD: -0.37, 95% CI: -2.78 to 2.04, P = 0.763). Procedure-related adverse events in cryoablation are parallel with that in RF ablation (RR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.86-1.35, P = 0.159).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with RF ablation, cryoablation present a comparable long-term AF/atrial tachycardial-free survival and procedure-related adverse events. Meanwhile, cryoablation markedly shorten the procedure time, nonetheless, with negligible impact on the fluoroscopy time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yi-He
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yin-
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to The Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Cryoablation; Meta-analysis; Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; Radiofrequency ablation