Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Relationship between wait times and postatrial fibrillation ablation outcomes: A population-based study
Authors' conclusion
Delays between AF diagnosis and ablation referral may contribute to adverse postprocedural outcomes and provide an opportunity for health system quality improvements.
Study context
- Population
- Patients receiving catheter ablation for de novo atrial fibrillation (AF) in Ontario, Canada, April 2016–March 2022
- Participants
- 7,472 patients
- Exposure
- Longer vs shorter diagnosis-to-ablation and referral-to-ablation time
- Outcome
- Composite of:
- Death and hospitalization/ED visit for AF
- HF
- Ischemic stroke
- Follow-up
- 1 year after ablation
Methodological detailspopulation-based
- Population-based
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Diagnosis-to-ablation time (per month)
1.02(1.01–1.02)
Referral-to-ablation time (per month)
1.00(0.98–1.01)
Per month, as printed
- Composite endpoint within 1 year of ablation, overall
- 911 (12.2%)
- Median diagnosis-to-ablation time
- 718 [IQR 399-1274] days
- Median referral-to-ablation time
- 221 [IQR 117-363] days
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Relationship between wait times and postatrial fibrillation ablation outcomes: A population-based study. Heart Rhythm. Published 10 April 2024. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it