AIMS: Real-time measurement of @entity5526 ( @entity5526 ) during catheter ablation of @entity955 ( @entity955 ) has been recently suggested to potentially impact procedural outcome. However, the role of @entity5526 intensity on mid-term results using the SmartTouch    catheter has not been investigated so far. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using the SmartTouch    catheter was performed in 100 eligible @entity1 (age 62    8; 79% @entity1 ) undergoing a first procedure of paroxysmal @entity955 catheter ablation. Continuous @entity5526 monitoring during catheter ablation allowed calculation of mean @entity5526 per @entity1 . @entity1 were dichotomized into high @entity5526 (>= 22 g, upper quartile) and low @entity5526 (<22 g, remaining) and enroled in a standardized follow-up programme (after a 3-month blanking period), free from antiarrhythmic therapy, with regular evaluations including 24 h Holter recordings at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. @entity955 relapse was defined as any symptomatic or asymptomatic @entity943 lasting >30 s. The average @entity5526 among all procedures was 19.6    3.7 g. Though complete PVI was eventually achieved in all cases in both groups, success using an exclusively anatomical approach was higher in the high @entity5526 group (92.0 vs. 72.0%; P = 0.04). During a mean follow-up of 19    5 months, a lower incidence of @entity955 relapse was observed in higher @entity5526 @entity1 (4.0 vs. 20.0%; log rank P = 0.04). @entity2293 occurred in one @entity1 in the higher @entity5526 group. No @entity1031 or procedure-associated deaths were observed. CONCLUSION: Higher values of @entity5526 overall during antral PVI appear to be associated with a higher likelihood of sinus rhythm maintenance without significantly increasing the complication rate.

Higher contact-force values associated with better mid-term outcome of paroxysmal XXXX ablation using the SmartTouch    catheter.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient', 'men'] @entity2293 :: ('MESH:D002305', 'Disease') :: ['Pericardial tamponade'] @entity5526 :: ('MESH:D003877', 'Disease') :: ['contact force', 'CF'] @entity1031 :: ('MESH:D013923', 'Disease') :: ['thromboembolism'] @entity955 :: ('MESH:D001281', 'Disease') :: ['atrial fibrillation', 'Atrial fibrillation', 'AF'] @entity943 :: ('MESH:D001145', 'Disease') :: ['atrial arrhythmia']
@entity955 :: (MESH:D001281,Disease) :: ['atrial fibrillation']
