Comparison of high-power short-duration and low-power long-duration radiofrequency ablation for treating atrial fibrillation: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: High power shorter duration (HPSD) ablation seen to increase efficacy and safety treating of atrial fibrillation (AF); however, comparative data between HPSD and low power longer duration (LPLD) ablation are limited.

Hypothesis: We thought that HPSD might bring more clinical benefits. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical benefits of HPSD in patients with AF.

Methods: The Medline, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies comparing HPSD and LPLD ablation.

Results: Ten trials with 2467 patients were included in the analysis. Pooled analyses demonstrated that HPSD showed a benefit of first-pass pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) (risk ratio [RR]: 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.31, P < .001) and recurrence of atrial arrhythmias (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.58-0.91, P = .005). Additionally, HPSD could reduce procedural time (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -42.93; 95% CI, -58.10 to -27.75, P < .001), ablation time (WMD: -21.01; 95% CI: -24.55 to -17.47, P < .001), and fluoroscopy time (WMD: -4.11; 95% CI: -6.78 to -1.45, P < .001). Moreover, major complications and esophageal thermal injury (ETI) were similar between two groups (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.44-1.30, P = .31) and (RR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.21-1.51, P = .26).

Conclusions: HPSD was safe and efficient for treating AF. Compared with LPLD, HPSD was associated with advantages of procedural features, higher first-pass PVI and reducing recurrence of atrial arrhythmias. Moreover, major complications and ETI were similar between two groups.