Objectives: Although catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation has been shown to improve in left atrial (LA) reverse remodelling, effect of cryoballoon-ablation (CBA) on LA appendage velocities (LAAV) has not been examined in depth. We aimed to determine the change in LAAV after CBA and to analyze its association with late AF recurrence rate at 6 months.
Methods and results: Pre-procedural and post-procedural (6 months) LAAV were measured by TEE in 33 consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent CBA for AF. Mean LA diameter was 43.1±0.4cm and 17 patients were male (51%). At 6-month follow-up, 10 (30%) patients had symptomatic and/or long-lasting recurrence in ECG or holter recordings. Mean pre-proc LAAV was 55.5±29.5cm/sec and mean post-proc LAAV was 43.5±18.1cm/sec with a mean difference of -11.9±33.2cm/sec. Elderly patients with coronary artery disease and higher CHADS2VASC scores had significantly increased risk for AF recurrence while more LAAV decrease in recurrence group did not reach statistical significance, but showed a trend. Table-1 summarizes patient characteristics according to AF recurrence
Conclusions: Although presence of coronary artery disease, higher CHADS2VASC scores and older age predicted increased likelihood for AF recurrence after CBA for AF, LAAV decrease was similar in patients with or without late AF recurrence.