AIMS: Rhythm control management in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) may be unequal across Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate how selective the patient cohort referred for AF ablation is, as compared to the general AF population in Europe, and to describe the governing mechanisms for such selection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Descriptive comparative statistical analyses of the baseline characteristics were performed between the cohorts of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Long-Term (ESC EORP AFA-LT) registry, designed to provide a picture of contemporary real-world AF ablation, and the AF population from the AF-General (ESC EORP AF-Gen) pilot registry. Data collection was performed using a web-based system. In the AFA and in the Atrial Fibrillation General (AFG) pilot registries, 3593 and 3049 patients were enrolled, respectively. Patients who underwent AF ablation were younger, more commonly male, and had significantly less comorbidities. Atrial Fibrillation Ablation patients often presented without comorbidities, resulting in a lower risk of stroke (CHA2DS2-VASc ≥5: 2.9% vs. 24.5%, all P < 0.001) and bleeding (HAS-BLED ≥2: 8.5% vs. 40.5%, P < 0.001) but with European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) scores >1 and more prevalent AF-related symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, and weakness (all P < 0.001) as compared to the general AF patients. Atrial Fibrillation Ablation patients were significantly more often male, had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (59.5% vs. 52.4%) and smaller left atrial size on echocardiogram (P < 0.001 each). CONCLUSION: The comparison of the patient cohorts in the AFA and AFG registries showed that AF ablation in European clinical practice is mostly performed in relatively young, symptomatic and relatively healthy patients.

• MeSH
• antikoagulancia MeSH
• cévní mozková příhoda * MeSH
• fibrilace síní * diagnóza   epidemiologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• funkce levé komory srdeční MeSH
• katetrizační ablace * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• tepový objem MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Stroke is one of the most feared complications during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). While symptomatic thromboembolic events are rare, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may identify asymptomatic (ie, silent) cerebral lesions (SCLs) following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures. METHODS AND RESULTS: The REDUCE-TE Pilot was a prospective multicenter, single-arm observational study investigating the incidence of SCL in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF undergoing PVI with a novel gold-tip, externally irrigated ablation catheter. After ablation, cerebral diffusion-weighted MRI and a postablation follow-up were performed at 1 to 3 days after the ablation procedure. A neurocognitive test was done before and after ablation. The primary study endpoint was the occurrence of one or more new SCLs. Secondary study endpoints included neurocognitive status, procedural success rate, and periprocedural complications including symptomatic thromboembolic events. A total of 104 patients were enrolled (69% male, mean age: 61.5 ± 9.7 years, mean CHA2 DS 2 -VASc score: 1.7 ± 1.2). Postprocedural MRI examination was performed in 97 patients, and in nine of them (9.3%; 95% CI: 4.3-16.9%) a total of 11 SCLs were detected. Univariate analyses did not reveal any significant predictor for new SCLs. Nonsignificant trends were observed for low activated clotting time during ablation and for international normalized ratio value outside the range of 2 to 3 at ablation. There was no evidence of significant deterioration of neurocognitive function after PVI. In four patients, a pericardial tamponade was noted but all patients fully recovered during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ablation of AF using a novel gold-tip, externally irrigated ablation catheter, resulted in SCLs in approximately one out of 10 patients without a measurable effect on neurocognitive function.

• MeSH
• akční potenciály MeSH
• asymptomatické nemoci MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• design vybavení MeSH
• difuzní magnetická rezonance MeSH
• fibrilace síní komplikace   diagnóza   patofyziologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• intrakraniální embolie diagnostické zobrazování   epidemiologie   MeSH
• katetrizační ablace škodlivé účinky   přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• kognice * MeSH
• léčebná irigace škodlivé účinky   přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pilotní projekty MeSH
• pooperační kognitivní dysfunkce diagnóza   epidemiologie   psychologie   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• srdeční frekvence MeSH
• srdeční katétry * MeSH
• testy pro posouzení mentálních funkcí a demence MeSH
• venae pulmonales patofyziologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• zlato * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• pozorovací studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Německo MeSH