TY - JOUR
T1 - Can the Response to Antiarrhythmic Drugs Prior to Catheter Ablation Predict Long-Term Outcomes of Catheter Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
AU - Kang, Jun H.
AU - Ban, Ji E.
AU - Choi, Jong I.
AU - Lim, Hong E.
AU - Park, Sang W.
AU - Kim, Young H.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Aim: Anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) can be used for chemical cardioversion (CV) or as an adjunct of CV using DC in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). We investigated whether PeAF patients who have a history of restoring sinus rhythm (SR) by only AADs have better outcome of Catheter ablation (CA), compared to those without response to AADs. Methods: 155 patients with PeAF were enrolled. AADs include amiodarone, propafenone and flecainide. A positive response to AADs was defined as conversion to the SR within 1 week after AADs were taken. Results: Forty-two patients out of the 155 patients (34%) had a positive response to AADs: 31 to amiodarone, 13 to flecainide, and 6 to propafenone. One hundred twenty one out of 141 patients had a history of successful CV prior to CA. In univariate analysis, no significant correlation was observed between responses to AADs and AF recurrence after CA, however, in multivariate analyses, hypertension, age, responses to AADs were significant predictors of AF recurrence after CA (p=0.010, p=0.049, and p=0.025, respectively). Conclusions: In addition to hypertension and age, response to oral AADs prior to CA, which may closely relate to the chronicity of AF, strongly predicted the outcome after CA of PeAF.
AB - Aim: Anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) can be used for chemical cardioversion (CV) or as an adjunct of CV using DC in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). We investigated whether PeAF patients who have a history of restoring sinus rhythm (SR) by only AADs have better outcome of Catheter ablation (CA), compared to those without response to AADs. Methods: 155 patients with PeAF were enrolled. AADs include amiodarone, propafenone and flecainide. A positive response to AADs was defined as conversion to the SR within 1 week after AADs were taken. Results: Forty-two patients out of the 155 patients (34%) had a positive response to AADs: 31 to amiodarone, 13 to flecainide, and 6 to propafenone. One hundred twenty one out of 141 patients had a history of successful CV prior to CA. In univariate analysis, no significant correlation was observed between responses to AADs and AF recurrence after CA, however, in multivariate analyses, hypertension, age, responses to AADs were significant predictors of AF recurrence after CA (p=0.010, p=0.049, and p=0.025, respectively). Conclusions: In addition to hypertension and age, response to oral AADs prior to CA, which may closely relate to the chronicity of AF, strongly predicted the outcome after CA of PeAF.
KW - Catheter ablation
KW - antiarrhythmic drug
KW - persistent atrial fibrillation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009569539&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4020/jhrs.27.OP57_2
DO - 10.4020/jhrs.27.OP57_2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85009569539
SN - 1880-4276
VL - 27
SP - 410
JO - journal of arrhythmia
JF - journal of arrhythmia
IS - 4
ER -