Ethanol Infusion of the Vein of Marshall in Catheter Ablation of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Mitral Valve Replacement.

Background: The effectiveness of ethanol infusion of the vein of Marshall (EIVOM) for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with mitral valve replacement (MVR) remains to be determined.

Objectives: This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of EIVOM in catheter ablation of persistent AF in patients with MVR.

Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study.

Impact of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor on Recurrence After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With or Without Metabolic Syndrome.

Aims: The impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation is still inconclusive. Besides, their efficacy on AF recurrence stratified by metabolic syndrome (MetS) status remains unknown.

Methods: Patients with AF undergoing initial catheter ablation between January 2017 and December 2023 from the China-AF Registry were included.

Orthostatic Systolic Blood Pressure Elevation and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: Insights From the SPRINT Trial.

Exaggerated orthostatic changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) were associated with adverse cardiovascular events. We aim to assess the association between orthostatic SBP changes and incident atrial fibrillation (AF). We performed a post hoc analysis of SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial).

Catheter Ablation vs Drug Therapy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Nonmodifiable Recurrence Risk Factors: A Secondary Analysis of the CABANA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Large-scale randomized studies evaluating the impact of catheter ablation on cardiovascular prognoses across different atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence risk profiles are lacking.

Objective: To investigate the benefits of catheter ablation in patients with varying numbers of nonmodifiable recurrence risk factors (NMRRFs).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This study was a post hoc subanalysis of the multinational, multicenter, open-label Catheter Ablation vs Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation (CABANA) randomized clinical trial, for which enrollment occurred from November 2009 to April 2016, with follow-up until December 31, 2017.

Impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor on recurrence and cardiovascular outcomes after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: The effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains uncertain.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether SGLT2i treatment is associated with a reduced risk of AF recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with CKD.

Methods: From the prospective Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry, we identified 628 patients with AF and CKD undergoing initial catheter ablation from January 2019 to December 2023.

Catheter Ablation for Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia Early After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Management, electrophysiological characteristics and outcomes.

Background And Aims: Refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a rare but lethal condition in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Its intracardiac mechanism and role of catheter ablation is under-determined. The current study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of catheter ablation for refractory ventricular tachycardia in early AMI.

Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Electrophysiological Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Studies on catheter ablation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)- ventricular tachycardia (VT) are relatively limited and mainly focused on feasibility and safety, whereas the VT distribution and electrophysiological properties remain insufficiently characterized.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to detail the site-specific electrophysiological properties and ablation outcomes in HCM-VT.

Methods: A total of 32 patients with HCM-VT who underwent catheter ablation were included.

Impact of disease progression avoidance by catheter ablation on clinical outcomes in atrial fibrillation: Insights from the CABANA trial.

Background: Delaying disease progression by catheter ablation has been recognized in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF); however, its direct association with clinical outcome improvement remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of catheter ablation on reducing AF progression and associations with outcomes.

Methods: The Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation (CABANA) trial compared the efficacy of catheter ablation with drug therapy in 2204 patients with AF.

Predictive value of sudden cardiac death risk stratification for outcomes of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Prediction models for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) incorporate factors that influence outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of CA of AF in patients with HCM stratified by SCD risk.

Methods: Of the 23,904 patients who underwent CA of AF, 417 patients with HCM were screened.

Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Patients With Diabetes and Previous Stroke: A Post-Hoc Analysis of ACCORD-BP Trial.

Intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) control reduces cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients, but its effects in those with diabetes and prior stroke need further evidence. Among 4733 patients with elevated SBP enrolled in the ACCORD-BP (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes-Blood Pressure) trial, this post-hoc analysis focused on 307 patients with type 2 diabetes and prior stroke to evaluate intensive versus standard SBP control. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke.

Development and validation of risk stratification and shared decision-making tool for catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure: a multicentre cohort study.

Background: The coexistence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) presents a significant challenge in risk evaluation and treatment decision-making. This study aimed to develop a shared decision-making tool that aids in risk stratification and guides radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) decisions for patients with AF and HF.

Methods: In this multicentre cohort study, we derived a shared decision-making tool by applying unsupervised clustering and supervised learning models to data from the China-AF registry, collected from 31 hospitals between August 1, 2011, and December 31, 2022.

Walking as a viable alternative to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for improving cardiovascular outcomes in coronary artery disease patients.

Background: Home-based cardiac rehabilitation is recommended for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, while exercise is the most important component. There is lack of evidence on whether walking alone can improve cardiovascular prognosis in CAD patients, particularly those unable to tolerate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

Methods: Participants with diagnosed CAD from the UK Biobank with baseline PA assessment were included.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and in-hospital bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation: findings from CCC-AF project.

Background And Aims: Emerging evidence indicates a relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and bleeding. However, data regarding the relationship between LDL-C levels and bleeding events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remain unfilled. This study is aimed to examine the relationship between LDL-C levels and the risk of in-hospital bleeding in patients with AF.

Screening cognitive impairment in patients with atrial fibrillation: A deep learning model based on retinal fundus photographs.

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have a higher risk of cognitive impairment (CI). However, complexity of CI diagnosis and lack of simple screening approaches limited early screening and intervention of CI in AF patients.

Objective: Our study aimed to develop deep learning models based on fundus photographs for easy screening of CI in AF patients.

Association between cardiometabolic comorbidity and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often suffer from cardiometabolic comorbidities, but the impact of the type and number of cardiometabolic comorbidities on the prognosis of AF patients remain unclear.

Methods: From August 2011 to December 2018, 23,838 AF patients from the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry (China-AF) Study were enrolled in this study. The all-cause and cardiovascular-cause mortality was described.

Impact of atrial remodeling on efficacy of catheter ablation in reducing cardiovascular risk in atrial fibrillation: Results from CABANA trial.

Background: The efficacy of catheter ablation in reducing major adverse events in atrial fibrillation (AF) is still inconclusive, warranting identification of clinical markers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore whether the benefits of catheter ablation varied across different extents of atrial remodeling in the CABANA (Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation) trial.

Methods: The CABANA trial randomized 2204 participants with AF to catheter ablation or drug therapy.

Patterns of Postablation Recurrence and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial arrhythmia recurrence after atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation is conventionally assessed as a binary end point. However, the prognostic value of recurrence patterns is less studied.

Methods And Results: This study included patients undergoing catheter ablation from the multicenter China Atrial Fibrillation Registry study (2011-2022).

Ablation characteristics associated with steam pops in ablation index-guided radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Steam pops present a significant concern during radiofrequency (RF) ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). It is crucial to analyse the incidence and ablation characteristics associated with steam pops. This study aims to investigate the occurrence and potential predictors of steam pops.

Antiarrhythmic Drug Use in the Blanking Period After Re-Ablation and Recurrence in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: The effectiveness of continuous anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) therapy during the 3-month blanking period following repeat catheter ablation to prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence remains unclear. To evaluate the impact of continuous AAD therapy during the blanking period on AF recurrence in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) undergoing repeat ablation.

Methods: Patients with PAF who underwent repeat ablation from the China-AF Registry (2011-2022) were included in this study and categorized into two groups based on AAD use during the 3-month blanking period.

Electrical Remodeling and Low Voltage Areas in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation: A Multicenter Evaluation.

Background: Atrial fibrosis may act as a substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial functional mitral regurgitation (MR); thus, recognition is required to select the optimal therapeutic intervention.

Methods: We examined clinical data from 1045 consecutive patients in three centers who underwent catheter ablation for persistent AF between 2020 and 2022. 75 patients met the moderate and severe MR criteria and completed a 1-year follow-up.

Burden of Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter From 1990 to 2021 in China: Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 Update.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) represent increasingly significant health burden globally. We aimed to systematically evaluate the status and trends of AF/AFL burden and attributable risk factors in China.

Methods: We assessed the burden of AF/AFL measured as prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), by sex and age groups in China based on the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2021 project.

Sex-specific trends in the global burden and risk factors of atrial fibrillation and flutter from 1990 to 2021.

Significant sex disparities exist in the burden of atrial fibrillation and flutter. However, comprehensive and systematic analysis of its global trend by sex is scarce. The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 was used as data source for analysis.

Iatrogenic aortic dissection during catheter ablation for ventricular arrhythmia.

Background: Attempted catheter manipulation through the retrograde aortic approach carries a risk of aortic dissection (AD) during catheter ablation.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the incidence, management, and outcomes of iatrogenic AD associated with ablation of ventricular arrhythmia (VA).

Methods: All patients who sustained iatrogenic AD during retrograde aortic VA ablation at 6 centers between January 1, 2011, and September 30, 2023, were prospectively identified.