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  • Title: The impact of left atrial size on long-term outcome of catheter ablation of chronic atrial fibrillation.
    Author: Lo LW, Lin YJ, Tsao HM, Chang SL, Udyavar AR, Hu YF, Ueng KC, Tsai WC, Tuan TC, Chang CJ, Tang WH, Higa S, Tai CT, Chen SA.
    Journal: J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol; 2009 Nov; 20(11):1211-6. PubMed ID: 19602021.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: The left atrial (LA) size is an important predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) procedural termination and the long-term outcome. We sought to evaluate the long-term outcome in regard to the LA size and procedural termination. METHODS: Eighty-seven consecutive chronic AF patients (72 males, 53 +/- 10 years) underwent 3D mapping (NavX) and ablation. A stepwise approach including circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, linear ablation, and continuous complex-fractionated electrogram (CFE) ablation (targeting fractionation intervals of < 50 ms). Electrical cardioversion was applied to those without any procedural termination. The freedom from AF was defined as the maintenance of sinus rhythm without the use of any class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs after the blanking period. RESULTS: Among the 87 patients, all received a circumferential PV isolation, 93% a linear ablation, and 59% a continuous CFE ablation. Those with AF procedural termination (n = 30) had a better long-term outcome when compared with those without termination during a follow-up of 21 +/- 12 months. Moreover, a Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that in those with an LA diameter of less than 45 mm (n = 49), the freedom from AF rate was higher when procedural termination was achieved (P = 0.004). On the contrary, the outcome was comparable in those with an LA diameter of >or= 45 mm (n = 38), whether AF procedural termination occurred or not (P = 0.658). CONCLUSIONS: AF procedural termination was related to the long-term success during chronic AF ablation, especially in those with an LA diameter of less than 45 mm. The favorable effect of termination decreased when the LA diameter was >or= 45 mm.
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