Conclusion The results of our meta- analysis suggest that AF was associated with decreased CRT benefits in patients with HF .
CRT , however , benefits patients with AF with AVJ ablation
Background Cardiac resynchronisation therapy ( CRT ) is beneficial in selected patients with heart failure ( HF ) in normal sinus rhythm ( NSR ) .
Sudden death after radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular node in patients with atrial fibrillation.
OBJECTIVES We evaluated the incidence and predictors of sudden death after  atrioventricular ( AV ) node ablation and pacemaker implantation .  BACKGROUND Sudden death may occur after radiofrequency catheter ablation of the AV node and pacemaker implantation in patients with atrial fibrillation ( AF ) . Whether it is related to the procedure or to pre-existing heart disease remains unclear . METHODS All patients who had radiofrequency catheter ablation of the AV node and pacemaker implantation for rate control of medically refractory AF were identified retrospectively and observed prospect ively . All patients with sudden death after ablation were identified . The relationship between the procedure and sudden death was defined on the basis of the time between the two as " likely , " " possibly " or " unlikely . " RESULTS Of 334 consecutive patients with AF who underwent AV node ablation  , nine had sudden death after the ablation . Four patients ( 1.2 % ) had sudden death likely related to the procedure : in 3 patients , arrest occurred within 48 h after the procedure ; in one patient , arrest occurred four days after the procedure . In three other patients ( 0.9 % ) , sudden death was possibly related to the procedure because the event occurred within three months afterward . The remaining two deaths were unrelated to the procedure . Diabetes , New York Heart Association functional class ( > or = II ) , preprocedure ventricular arrhythmia , mitral or aortic stenosis , aortic regurgitation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were independent predictors for sudden death . CONCLUSIONS Sudden death likely or possibly related to catheter ablation occurred in 7 of 334 patients ( 2.1 % ) . Risk of sudden death is highest within two days after the procedure
Conclusion The results of our meta- analysis suggest that AF was associated with decreased CRT benefits in patients with HF .
CRT , however , benefits patients with AF with AVJ ablation
Background Cardiac resynchronisation therapy ( CRT ) is beneficial in selected patients with heart failure ( HF ) in normal sinus rhythm ( NSR ) .