Noninvasive electrocardiography monitoring for very early recurrence predicts long‐term outcome in patients after atrial fibrillation ablation

• Published in: Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. e12785 - n/a
• Main Authors: Yang, De‐yan, Cheng, Zhong‐wei, Liu, Yong‐tai, Gao, Peng, Chen, Tai‐bo, Deng, Hua, Cheng, Kang‐an, Fan, Jing‐bo, Fang, Quan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.11.2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Ablation; Arrhythmia; atrial fibrillation; Cardiac arrhythmia; catheter ablation; Catheters; Diabetes mellitus; EKG; Electrocardiography; Fibrillation; Medical instruments; Monitoring; Multivariate analysis; noninvasive electrocardiography; Original; Patients; Regression analysis; Regression models; Telemedicine; very early recurrence; atrial fibrillation; catheter ablation; very early recurrence; noninvasive electrocardiography
• ISSN: 1082-720X; 1542-474X
• DOI: 10.1111/anec.12785

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and catheter ablation has been shown to be a highly effective treatment for patients with symptomatic AF. Very early recurrence (VER) of AF within 7 days after catheter ablation is common, but the clinical significance of VER remains unclear. We have examined the usefulness of the noninvasive electrocardiography monitor for the detection of VER and the relationship between VER and late recurrence (LR). Methods Eighty‐eight patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation were retrospectively included. All patients underwent primary catheter ablation at a large general hospital between March 2016 and August 2018. All patients were followed up in atrial fibrillation clinic at an interval of every 3 months for late recurrence of AF. VER was evaluated by one‐lead continuous noninvasive electrocardiography monitoring device for 7 days after ablation. The association between VER and LR was analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression model. Results Mean age was 62.9 ± 9.7 years, and 39.8% were female. Thirty‐two patients (36.4%) experienced VER. After a mean follow‐up of 539.36 ± 211.66 days, 17 patients (19.3%) experienced LR. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed VER was an independent predictor of LR: HR 3.6 (95% CI, 1.2–10.8), p = .020. In addition, diabetes was also associated with LR of atrial fibrillation. Conclusions Noninvasive electrocardiography monitoring was a useful tool for detecting VER and VER after catheter ablation was associated with LR.