Ablation index–guided pulmonary vein isolation can reduce early recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmias: a propensity score–matched analysis

摘要

Abstract Purpose Early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ERAT) cause various symptoms and predict worse outcomes after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). This study aimed to clarify whether ablation index (AI)–guided PVI, which is a novel technology of radiofrequency ablation, could reduce ERAT as compared to conventional contact force (CF)–guided PVI.Methods Consecutive atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who underwent initial PVI from September 2014 to August 2019 were enrolled. We divided the patients into two groups: patients who underwent AI-guided PVI (AI group) and those who underwent CF-guided PVI (CF group). Using propensity score matching (PSM), we adjusted for the patient backgrounds. We compared the incidence of ERAT and late reconnection rate of isolated pulmonary veins (PVs) during second session between the two groups. ERAT was defined as any atrial tachyarrhythmias?≥?30?s during a 90-day blanking period.Results A total of 697 AF patients (paroxysmal 51%) were enrolled. After the PSM, both groups included 229 patients. The incidence of ERAT was significantly lower in the AI group than that in the CF group (21.5% vs. 36.1%, P?