Where data were available , the relative benefits seen held true both after a single or multiple procedure(s ) .
For patients with persistent atrial fibrillation , CA achieves significantly greater freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation compared with medical therapy .
BACKGROUND Catheter ablation ( CA ) is commonly performed for persistent atrial fibrillation , but few high- quality r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) exist , leading to funding restrictions being proposed in several countries .
We performed a r and om-effects meta- analysis of RCTs and non- RCTs to assess the efficacy of CA for persistent atrial fibrillation .
Comparison of the point-by-point versus catheter dragging technique for curative radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation.
BACKGROUND The relationship between the applied techniques and clinical outcomes after radiofrequency ( RF ) ablation of atrial fibrillation ( AF ) remains unclear . We compared the results of ablation by RF delivered via a point-by-point versus catheter dragging technique for the treatment of AF . METHODS This study included 66 patients with drug-refractory AF who underwent circumferential pulmonary vein ( PV ) ablation .  A point-by-point technique was used in 35 ( 53 % ) patients ( Group I ) , and catheter dragging technique in the remaining 31 ( 47 % ) patients ( Group II ) . If AF persisted or remained inducible after the PV isolation , additional ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms and linear ablation were performed . RESULTS Significantly , fewer RF applications were delivered in Group II than in Group I. The total RF energy duration delivered was comparable between the two groups ( P = 0.55 ) . However , the total energy of RF deliveries was significantly greater in Group II than in Group I ( P = 0.02 ) . Despite a longer fluoroscopic exposure time ( P = 0.01 ) , the total procedural duration was significantly shorter in Group II than in Group I ( P = 0.005 ) . Within 3 months after a single ablation procedure , 24 patients ( 69 % ) in Group I versus 13 patients ( 42 % ) in Group II had ≥1 recurrence(s ) of atrial tachyarrhythmias ( P = 0.03 ) . A multivariate analysis showed that a point-by-point ablation was the only independent predictor of early atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrences . CONCLUSIONS The catheter dragging technique for ablation of AF was associated with a lower early recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmias than the point-by-point technique
Where data were available , the relative benefits seen held true both after a single or multiple procedure(s ) .
For patients with persistent atrial fibrillation , CA achieves significantly greater freedom from recurrent atrial fibrillation compared with medical therapy .
BACKGROUND Catheter ablation ( CA ) is commonly performed for persistent atrial fibrillation , but few high- quality r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) exist , leading to funding restrictions being proposed in several countries .
We performed a r and om-effects meta- analysis of RCTs and non- RCTs to assess the efficacy of CA for persistent atrial fibrillation .