Cognitive deficits following catheter ablation for AF appear short-lived

The key findings of this study were:

1. 96 people finished the research regimen in total.

2. The average age was 59 years and 12 days (32% women and 46% had persistent AF).

3. At three months, the prevalence of new cognitive impairment in the ablation arm was 14% vs 2%, P = 0.03; at six months, 4% vs 2%, P = NS; and at twelve months, 0% vs 2%, P = NS.

4. Ablation time was a reliable predictor of POCD.

5. At 12 months, 14% of patients in the ablation group had significantly improved cognitive scores, compared to zero individuals in the medical arm (P = 0.007).

Researchers hypothesized that enhanced hemodynamic regulation, together with the discontinuation of AADs, might be major factors to early improvements in cognitive performance. Certainly, the usage of AADs was much lower among patients who showed cognitive improvement compared to individuals who did not show progress in cognitive tests.

Reference:

Al-Kaisey, A. M., Parameswaran, R., Bryant, C., Anderson, R. D., Hawson, J., Chieng, D., Voskoboinik, A., Sugumar, H., West, D., Azzopardi, S., Finch, S., Wong, G., Joseph, S. A., Kistler, P. M., & Kalman, J. M. (2023). Impact of Catheter Ablation on Cognitive Function in Atrial Fibrillation. In JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2023.02.020