Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
High-risk Brugada syndrome: factors associated with arrhythmia recurrence and benefits of epicardial ablation in addition to implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation
- Prospective registry study
- long-term registry
Authors' conclusion
Our study underscores the role of BrS substrate extent as a crucial prognostic factor for recurrent VF and validates the safety and efficacy of RFA when compared with a no-RFA group.
Study context
- Population
- Selected symptomatic Brugada syndrome patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- Participants
- 257 patients
- Exposure
- Epicardial radiofrequency ablation (RFA) plus ICD vs ICD only
- RFAn = 206
- no-RFAn = 51reference
- Outcome
- Risk factors for VF events pre-ablation and freedom from VF events post-ablation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes and VF storms, pre-RFA follow-up (median 27 months)
53
Independent risk factor for VF: substrate size, HR
1.13 (95% CI 1.08-1.18; P < 0.001)
Independent risk factor for VF: aborted cardiac arrest, HR
2.98 (95% CI 1.68-5.28; P < 0.001)
Independent risk factor for VF: SCN5A variants, HR
2.22 (95% CI 1.15-4.27; P = 0.017)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Safety
Major procedure-related complications
- No major procedure-related complications with RFA
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it