This review article provides an overview on the published clinical risk scores related to outcomes of rhythm control strategy or AF progression
Patients with atrial fibrillation ( AF ) are commonly managed with rhythm control strategy , but the natural history of this common arrhythmia leads itself to progression from paroxysmal to persistent or permanent AF , and recurrences are evident despite rhythm control treatments using cardioversion or catheter ablation .
Numerous clinical factors have been associated with outcomes of rhythm control or arrhythmia progression in patients with AF .
The more common factors have been used to formulate risk stratification scores , to help predict the outcomes of rhythm control treatments  or AF progression .
Clinical predictors of arrhythmia recurrences following pulmonary vein antrum isolation for atrial fibrillation: predicting arrhythmia recurrence post-PVAI.
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary vein antrum isolation ( PVAI ) is an accepted treatment for atrial fibrillation ( AF ) refractory to medical therapy . The purpose of this study was to identify the patient , procedural , and follow-up factors associated with arrhythmia recurrences following PVAI . METHODS AND RESULTS Clinical data were prospect ively collected on all 385 consecutive patients who had 530 PVAI ( age 58 ± 11 years , 63 % paroxysmal AF-PAF , follow-up 2.8 ± 1.2 years ) between February 2004 and March 2009 .  ECGs  were recorded at each follow-up visit with Holter monitoring 1 , 3 , 6 , and 12 months following PVAI and every 6 months thereafter . Recurrences < 3 months post-PVAI were defined as early , 3 months-1 year post-PVAI as late , and > 1 year post-PVAI as very late . Relationship between predictor variables and outcomes was modeled using Cox proportional hazards analysis . Late recurrences occurred in 42 % with a lower rate among PAF versus non-PAF patients ( 39 % vs 56 % , P = 0.001 ) . Of the 256 patients with ≥ 1-year follow-up , 121 ( 47 % ) had no arrhythmia off antiarrhythmic drugs ( AADs ) 1 year post-PVAI ; 36 ( 30 % ) of these had a very late recurrence . In multivariate analysis , non-PAF , hypertension , and prior AAD failure predicted recurrence . When entered into the model , early recurrences remained the only predictor of late recurrences . CONCLUSION Patients with non-PAF , hypertension , and prior failure of multiple AAD were more likely to experience arrhythmia recurrence post-PVAI . Early recurrences were the strongest predictor of late recurrences . Late and very late recurrences following PVAI were common and should be considered when planning long-term AF patient management
This review article provides an overview on the published clinical risk scores related to outcomes of rhythm control strategy or AF progression
Patients with atrial fibrillation ( AF ) are commonly managed with rhythm control strategy , but the natural history of this common arrhythmia leads itself to progression from paroxysmal to persistent or permanent AF , and recurrences are evident despite rhythm control treatments using cardioversion or catheter ablation .
Numerous clinical factors have been associated with outcomes of rhythm control or arrhythmia progression in patients with AF .
The more common factors have been used to formulate risk stratification scores , to help predict the outcomes of rhythm control treatments  or AF progression .