Comparison of P-wave parameter changes after radiofrequency ablation and cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: An observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) can be performed using one-shot cryoballoon ablation (cryo) or point-by-point radiofrequency ablation (RF). This study compares the changes in P-wave parameters between both ablation methods.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective study included contact force RF and second-generation cryo for PAF between 2018 and 2019. Procedure success was defined by freedom of ECG-documented AF at 12 months. Digital 12‑leads ECGs with 1-50 hertz bandpass filters were monitored directly during the procedure. Corrected P-wave duration (PWDc), P-wave voltage (PWV), P-wave dispersion (PWDisp), and P-wave terminal force in V1 (PTFV1) were measured and compared between RF and cryo. Additional ablations outside pulmonary veins were excluded.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 226 patients, and the freedom of AF rate was similar at the 12-month follow-up between RF and cryo (76 % vs 74 %, P = 0.12). PWDc and PWV increased and decreased, respectively in both arms. PTFV1 decreased in RF (-3.3 mm.s to -4.6 mm.s, P < 0.001) and cryo (-3.4 mm.s to -5.3 mm.s,P = 0.002). There were similar changes after RF and cryo in PWDc (F11, 1032 = 0.80, P = 0.85), PWV (F11, 1032 = 0.19,P = 0.06), and PWDisp (F11, 1032 = 0.16,P = 0.34) and PTFV1 (P = 0.39). Increased PWDc was correlated with failure of RF (hazard ratio [2.3], 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-5.9, p = 0.01) and cryo (HR: 2.1, 95 % CI (1.3-4.6), p = 0.02). Results were similar when patients on antiarrhythmic drugs were excluded.

CONCLUSION

RF and cryo caused similar freedom of AF rate at 12 months in PAF and similar P-wave parameter changes.