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Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with hyperthyroidism
Chang Sheng Ma1, Xu Liu, Fu Li Hu
1Ward 2nd, Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China. chshma@vip.sina.com
Insights
Catheter ablation effectively treated atrial fibrillation in hyperthyroid patients. Circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA) offered a viable option for those unresponsive to medication.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Hyperthyroidism frequently coexists with atrial fibrillation (AF), posing treatment challenges.
- Drug-refractory AF in euthyroid hyperthyroid patients requires alternative therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the clinical effectiveness of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with a history of hyperthyroidism.
Main Methods:
- 16 patients with hyperthyroidism-related AF, refractory to antiarrhythmia drugs, underwent circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA).
- A 3-D mapping system guided the procedure, aiming for pulmonary vein isolation.
Main Results:
- CPVA was performed safely in all patients, achieving pulmonary vein isolation.
- After a mean follow-up of 15.8 months, 56% of patients were free from atrial tachyarrhythmia without antiarrhythmia drugs.
Conclusions:
- Circumferential pulmonary vein ablation is a potential therapeutic option for managing atrial fibrillation in hyperthyroid patients.
- This catheter ablation technique offers an alternative for patients with drug-refractory AF linked to hyperthyroidism.
Aims:
To study the clinical efficacy of catheter ablation for treating patients with hyperthyroidism-related atrial fibrillation (AF).
Materials And Methods:
The study involved 16 patients (12 males; age, 59.8 +/- 11.3 years) with hyperthyroidism-related AF, who had all been euthyroid for more than 3 months but still suffered from highly symptomatic and antiarrhythmia drug (AAD)-refractory AF. Circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA) guided by a 3-D mapping system was carried out to encircle the ipsilateral pulmonary veins (PVs) with a procedural endpoint of continuity of the circular lesions and PV isolation. Success was defined as the absence of any atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa) off AADs beyond the first 3 months after the procedure.
Results:
CPVA was safely carried out in each of the 16 patients without any complications. PV isolation was achieved in all the treated PVs. After a mean follow-up of 15.8 +/- 11.8 (range, 6-55) months, 9 patients (56%) were free of ATa without any AADs beyond the first 3 months. AF relapsed in the remaining 7 patients, among whom 4 responded to AAD therapy and 3 were totally unresponsive.
Conclusion:
For patients suffering hyperthyroidism-related AF, CPVA guided by a 3-D mapping system could represent one of the therapeutic options.
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