Objectives: Cardiac enzymes, representing myocardial injury, increase after surgical or catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, significance and impact of this injury on recurrence rates after cryoballoon ablation (CBA) have not been studied before. We aimed to examine the effect of atrial injury on long-term recurrence rates in patients who underwent CBA for atrial fibrillation.
Methods&result: Blood samples for CKMB and Troponin I were collected before and 24 hour after CBA in 33 consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF. At 6-month follow-up, 10 (30%) patients had recurrence. Both CKMB and troponin levels increased significantly 24 hour after CBA. Pre-procedural troponin level was higher in patients with recurrence but barely missed statistical significance (0.04 ± 0.17µg/L vs. 0.17 ± 0.36µg/L; p=0.055).Post-procedural and difference values for troponin I or CKMB did not differ in 2 groups. Table-1 summarizes patient characteristics according to AF recurrence.
Conclusions: Post-procedural cardiac enzyme surge does not predict long-term recurrences in patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation for AF.