Clinical outcomes are excellent with use of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation (CA) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), according to a study published online May 18 in Heart Rhythm.

Jose Osorio, M.D., from Mercy Hospital in Miami, and colleagues examined outcomes of RF-CA for PAF using the REAL-AF (Real-world Experience of Catheter Ablation for the Treatment of Symptomatic Paroxysmal and Persistent Atrial Fibrillation) registry. Patients undergoing RF-CA to treat PAF across 42 institutions and 79 operators were assessed. A total of 2,470 patients undergoing CA were included.

Most of the procedures (71.5 percent) were performed without fluoroscopy, with average procedure times of 95.4 ± 41.7 minutes and average total RF time of 22.1 ± 11.8 minutes. The researchers found that freedom from all atrial arrhythmias was 81.6 percent at one-year follow-up, with 89.7 percent of these patients off antiarrhythmic drugs. Comparing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with PVI + ablation approaches did not result in any significant difference. The rate of complications was 1.9 percent.

“An important next step will be to apply similar strategies to try to understand how this procedure can be improved for patients with the persistent type of AF, which is more difficult to treat than paroxysmal AF,” coauthor Paul C. Zei, M.D., Ph.D., from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Biosense Webster, which funded the registry.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.