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 .
Markers of inflammation before and after curative ablation of atrial flutter.
BACKGROUND Atrial arrhythmias are associated with inflammation . The cause and effect of the association are unknown . OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that atrial tachyarrhythmias contribute to inflammation . METHODS We performed a prospect i ve observational study wherein C-reactive protein ( CRP ) and interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) levels from the femoral vein and coronary sinus ( CS ) were compared before curative ablation for atrial flutter ( AFL ; n = 59 ) and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia ( SVT ; n = 110 ) . Follow-up levels were obtained at 1 and 6 months . RESULTS Peripheral levels of both biomarkers were significantly higher in the AFL group . After multivariate adjustment , only those in the AFL group who presented in AFL or atrial fibrillation ( AF ) had significantly elevated CRP levels ( odds ratio 1.26 ; P = .033 ) . Levels of each marker were similar in the CS and peripheral blood in the SVT group ; in the AFL group , both CRP and IL-6 were significantly lower in the CS than in the periphery ( P = .0076 and P = .0021 , respectively ) . CRP was significantly lower a median of 47 days after AFL ablation ( from a median of 6.28 mg/L to a median of 2.92 mg/L ; P = .028 ) and remained reduced at second follow-up . IL-6 decreased across three time points after AFL ablation ( P = .002 ) . No reduction in inflammatory biomarkers was observed after SVT ablation . CONCLUSIONS CRP and IL-6 levels are elevated in patients presenting in AFL . Given the lower CS values in these patients , their origin appears to be systemic rather than cardiac . Because these levels significantly fall after ablation of AFL , the atrial tachyarrhythmia appears to be the cause ( not the effect ) of the inflammation
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 .