No clear benefit was observed for AF recurrence at 2 - 3 days , 1 or 24 months of follow-up .
Steroid use was associated with decreased risk of early AF recurrence 3 and 12 - 14 months after ablation .
Previous studies have reported that steroids may reduce the risk of  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) recurrence after catheter ablation , but data regarding this issue have been controversial .
Therefore , we conducted a meta- analysis of r and omized clinical trials ( RCTs ) and observational studies to ascertain the association of steroids and  AF recurrence  after ablation .
Effect of a single bolus injection of low-dose hydrocortisone for prevention of atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation.
BACKGROUND The transient use of corticosteroid shortly after atrial fibrillation ( AF ) ablation might prevent immediate and mid-term AF recurrence ; however , the effective dosage for preventing AF recurrence has not been determined . In this study , we evaluated whether low-dose hydrocortisone is effective for the prevention of AF recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation ( RFCA ) . METHODS AND RESULTS We enrolled 89 AF patients ( 70 males , 55.8 ± 10.9 years ) who underwent RF ablation and were treated with single bolus injection of 100 mg hydrocorticosteroid ( corticosteroid group ) . For the control group , we enrolled 120 sex- and age-matched AF patients ( 94 males , 55.4 ± 10.5 years ) . Pericarditis occurred in 3 ( 2.5 % ) and 1 ( 1.1 % ) patients in the control and corticosteroid groups , respectively . The number of patients with immediate AF recurrence ( ≤ 2 days ) was 17 ( 14.5 % ) and 11 ( 12.4 % ) in the control and steroid groups , respectively ( P=0.687 ) . Treatment with low-dose steroid did not decrease early ( 3 - 30 days ) AF recurrence ( 13 [ 11.1 % ] vs. 11 [ 12.5 % ] , P=0.829 ) or late ( ≥ 31 days ) AF recurrence after ablation ( 26 [ 22.2 % ] vs. 13 [ 14.6 % ] , P=0.209 ) . There was no difference in cumulative survival free of late AF recurrence between the corticosteroid and control groups ( P=0.57 by log-rank test ) . White blood cell count , C-reactive protein concentration and maximum body temperature also were unchanged by low-dose steroid . CONCLUSIONS Single bolus injection of low-dose hydrocortisone after AF ablation is not effective for preventing AF recurrence during the mid-term follow-up period
No clear benefit was observed for AF recurrence at 2 - 3 days , 1 or 24 months of follow-up .
Steroid use was associated with decreased risk of early AF recurrence 3 and 12 - 14 months after ablation .
Previous studies have reported that steroids may reduce the risk of  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) recurrence after catheter ablation , but data regarding this issue have been controversial .
Therefore , we conducted a meta- analysis of r and omized clinical trials ( RCTs ) and observational studies to ascertain the association of steroids and  AF recurrence  after ablation .