Catheter ablation may significantly improve cardiac and renal function among AF patients with mid-range ejection fraction

The present study included 79 patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50%. These patients underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Mentioning the study background, they said previous data and research have already emphasized catheter ablation efficacy in those with low cardiac function. There needs to be more research and data on mid-range ejection fraction (MRF).

The main aim of this study was the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation those having left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%.

The key highlights of this study are:

• Postoperative sick sinus syndrome and inguinal hematoma were reported in one patient as complications.
• Emphasizing efficacy, improvements were noted in echocardiographic data, blood test values, and diuretic use.
• Following 60 months of follow-up, 86.1% of patients reported no AF recurrence.
• There were nine heart failure hospitalizations 11.4%) and five all-cause deaths constituting 11.4 % and 6.3%, respectively.
• There were no significant differences between the rEF and more groups.
• Researchers reported no significant predictors of AF recurrence in preoperative patient characteristics.

They said Atrial fibrillation ablation is tied to improved cardiac and renal function in patients with LVEF <50%. It also has fewer complications, they noted.

The study's limitations include small sample size, lack of follow-ups and long-term monitoring.

Further reading:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0972629223000748