Effect of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on outcomes of atrial fibrillation ablation

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an important pathogenic factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). There are few data on the effect of LVDD on recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. A cohort of 124 patients (59.9 ± 11.7 years, 73.9% male, and 55% with paroxysmal AF) with recalcitrant AF and normal left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%) undergoing ablation was studied. Each patient underwent transthoracic echocardiography, and LVDD was meticulously graded using rhythm-independent (AF or sinus rhythm) transmitral and tissue Doppler parameters. Patients underwent catheter ablation of AF using a stepwise protocol. All patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months with recurrent AF (>30 seconds) captured by electrocardiography and/or 7-day monitor. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model were used. There was no LVDD in 72 patients (58%), whereas 33 (26.6%), 10 (8.1%), and 9 (7.3%) patients had grades 1, 2, and 3 LVDD, respectively. AF recurred in 49 patients (39.5%) with median time to recurrence of 248 days. Patients with higher grade of LVDD were increasingly more likely to have recurrence (37.5% for no LVDD and 30.3%, 60%, and 66.7% for grades 1, 2, and 3 LVDD, respectively). Significant LVDD (grade 2 or 3) was an independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio 2.6, p = 0.009) after adjusting for persistent (vs paroxysmal) AF and left atrial volume. In conclusion, patients with more severe LVDD have a higher risk of AF recurrence after catheter ablation. These patients may derive less benefit from ablation or may require a more extensive ablation approach.