Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in very young adults — multicentric data from the AF-YOUNG registry
- multicenter registry
- retrospective
- consecutive patients
- two high-volume German centers
Authors' conclusion
In adults below 30 years, catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation delivers high rhythm control with low complication rates. Benefit is lower in persistent than paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation subtype is the strongest determinant which may argue for early referral to ablation as first-line rhythm control in young adults.
Study context
- Population
- Patients ≤30 years undergoing first-time pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (2005–2025)104 with outcome analysis
- Participants
- 140 patients
- Exposure
- Paroxysmal vs persistent atrial fibrillation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Patients with recurrences
10
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Freedom from atrial fibrillation by subtype · 1 year and 3 years · better outcome with paroxysmal
P < 0.001
1 year
3 years
Freedom from atrial fibrillation · 1/ 2/ 3 years
- Freedom from atrial fibrillation at 1/ 2/ 3 years
- 93.6/ 88.2/ 82.1%
- At one year after up to two procedures
- 94.9%
Baseline and procedural characteristics
- Mean age
- 29.1±3.1 years
- Female
- 28.6%
- Paroxysmal
- 83.6%
- Persistent atrial fibrillation
- 16.4%
- Family history of atrial fibrillation
- 18.6%
- Radiofrequency
- 49.3%
- Cryoballoon
- 45.7%
- Pulsed-Field ablation
- 5%
- Mean procedure duration
- 117 ± 66 min
Safety
In-hospital complications
- In-hospital complications
- Three (2.1%)
- Vascular complication requiring surgical repair
- one
- Pericarditis and mild pulmonary-vein stenosis without need for intervention
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it