Significant reduction of atrial defibrillation threshold and inducibility by catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Eui Seock Hwang, Gi Byung Nam, Boyoung Joung, Junbeom Park, Jihei Sara Lee, Jaemin Shim, Jae Sun Uhm, Moon Hyoung Lee, Hui Nam Pak

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) has antiarrhythmic effects by multiple mechanisms. We hypothesized that RFCA curtails atrial defibrillation threshold (A-DFT) and postablation induction pacing cycle length (iPCL), making critical mass reduction one potential mechanism by which antiarrhythmic effect is achieved. Methods: We included 289 patients with AF (male 77.9%, 55.7 ± 10.8 years old; 197 paroxysmal AF: 92 persistent AF) who underwent RFCA. A-DFT (serial internal cardioversion 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 J) and iPCL (serial 10 mA 10-second atrial pacing with pacing cycle length 250, 200, 190, 180, 170, 160, and 150 ms) were evaluated before and after RFCA. Results: (1) RFCA of AF reduced the A-DFT from 6.7 ± 3.7 J to 3.0 ± 3.0 J (P < 0.001). (2) AF ablation reduced AF inducibility from 95.4% before the procedure to 56.3% after the procedure (P < 0.001), and the iPCL from 194.8 ± 32.6 to 160.9 ± 26.2 ms (P < 0.001). (3) In patients who underwent a greater number of ablation lines, the post-RFCA A-DFT (P < 0.001) was lower, and %ΔA-DFT (P = 0.003) and proportion of atrial tachycardia (P = 0.022) were higher than those with a lower number of ablation lines. Conclusion: AF ablation significantly reduced A-DFT, AF inducibility, and iPCL, and the degree of their reduction was related to the number of ablation lines. (PACE 2012;35:1428-1435)

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1428-1435
Number of pages8
JournalPACE - Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology
Volume35
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2012

Keywords

  • atrial fibrillation
  • catheter ablation
  • defibrillation threshold
  • inducibility

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