Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Real-world data of radiofrequency catheter ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Short- and long-term clinical outcomes from the prospective multicenter REAL-AF Registry
Authors' conclusion
Refinement of RF CA to treat PAF using contemporary tools, standardized protocols, and electrophysiology laboratory workflows resulted in excellent short- and long-term clinical outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF, January 2018 to December 2022
- Participants
- 2,470 patients · 42 institutions
- Outcome
- Freedom from all-atrial arrhythmia recurrence
- Follow-up
- 12 months
Methodological details42 high-volume institutions
- 42 high-volume institutions
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Freedom from all-atrial arrhythmias at 1 year
81.6%
Of these, off antiarrhythmic drugs
89.7%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
PVI vs PVI plus ablation approaches
- No significant difference comparing PVI vs PVI plus ablation
Procedures without fluoroscopy
- Procedures performed without fluoroscopy
- 71.5%
Procedural time
- Average procedural time (± 41.7 minutes)
- 95.4 minutes
Total RF time
- Average total RF time (±11.8 minutes)
- 22.1 minutes
Safety
- Complication rate
- 1.9%
Original publication
Real-world data of radiofrequency catheter ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Short- and long-term clinical outcomes from the prospective multicenter REAL-AF Registry. Heart Rhythm. Published 19 May 2024. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it