Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Relationship Between Time-to-First Atrial Tachyarrhythmia Recurrence and Atrial Fibrillation Burden: Implications for Trial Design
Authors' conclusion
Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence after rhythm control intervention for paroxysmal AF is not uniform, with earlier recurrences being associated with higher AF burden on follow-up. These findings suggest that the timing of arrhythmia recurrence is of critical importance, with later recurrences being of progressively lesser clinical significance.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing rhythm intervention
- Comparison
- Patients stratified based on the month where the first recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia was observed
Methodological detailscontinuous rhythm monitoring after rhythm intervention, 2-month blanking period
- Continuous rhythm monitoring after rhythm intervention
- 2-month blanking period
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia · first year of follow-up
Patients who experienced a recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia
51.7%
Further findings
Median
| Outcome | First recurrence in month 3 | First recurrence between months 4 to 12 | First recurrence after month 12 | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postrecurrence AF burdenFirst recurrence between months 4 to 12 vs first recurrence in month 3 | 1.04% (IQR 0.23–5.05) | 0.13% (IQR 0.04–0.63) | 0.05% (IQR 0.01–0.20) | P < 0.0001 |
| Postrecurrence AF burdenFirst recurrence after month 12 vs first recurrence in month 3 | P < 0.0001 |
- Postrecurrence AF burden: significantly greater burden with first recurrence in month 3
- Postrecurrence AF burden: significantly greater burden with first recurrence in month 3
Timing of first recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia
- First recurrence within the third month post treatment initiation
- 56.5%
- Recurrences detected by month 6
- 79.5%
- Recurrences detected by month 9
- 90.2%
Original publication
Relationship Between Time-to-First Atrial Tachyarrhythmia Recurrence and Atrial Fibrillation Burden: Implications for Trial Design. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. Published 28 August 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it