Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: May 29, 2015
Depolarization and repolarization parameters on ECG predict recurrence after atrial fibrillation ablation in patients
Song-Nan Wen1, Hao-Jie Zhu1, Peng-Yu Sun1
1Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Insights
QTc prolongation and fragmented QRS (fQRS) predict atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation failure in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. Combining these markers improves risk prediction for AF recurrence after ablation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation outcomes are suboptimal, particularly in patients with structural heart disease like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
- Identifying patients likely to benefit from AF ablation or experience treatment failure is crucial for personalized management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate preprocedural QTc interval and fragmented QRS (fQRS) as predictors of AF recurrence after ablation in HCM patients.
- To evaluate the combined predictive value of QTc prolongation and fQRS for AF recurrence in this population.
Main Methods:
- 120 HCM patients undergoing primary AF ablation were enrolled.
- Preprocedural QTc interval and fQRS presence were assessed.
- Arrhythmia recurrence was monitored over a median follow-up period.
Main Results:
- Arrhythmia recurrence was observed in 69 patients (57.5%) after 13.4 months.
- fQRS was present in 59.17% of patients, predominantly in inferior leads.
- QTc > 448 ms (HR: 1.982) and fQRS+ (HR: 1.922) were independent risk factors for recurrence.
- The combination of fQRS+ and QTc > 448 ms showed superior predictive value for recurrence.
Conclusions:
- QTc prolongation (>448 ms) and fQRS are independent risk factors for AF recurrence post-ablation in HCM patients.
- The combination of fQRS and prolonged QTc offers enhanced predictive value for procedural failure.
- These findings can aid in identifying high-risk HCM patients for AF ablation.
Introduction:
The outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remain suboptimal. It is important to identify which AF patients will most likely benefit from ablation and who are more likely to show treatment failure, especially in those with structural heart disease such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Methods And Results:
We enrolled 120 HCM patients who underwent primary AF ablation (48 with persistent AF). Preprocedural QTc was measured and corrected using the Bazett's formula, and the distribution of fragmentation of the QRS complex (fQRS) was recorded. Arrhythmia recurrence was defined as any kind of documented atrial tachyarrhythmia of more than 30 seconds. Overall, arrhythmia recurrence occurred in 69 patients after 13.4 months' follow-up. fQRS was present in 71 (59.17%) patients and was most commonly (81.69%) observed in the inferior leads. QTc more than 448 ms could predict arrhythmia recurrence with a sensitivity of 68.1% and specificity of 68.6%. Patients with QTc more than 448 ms (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.982; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.155-3.402; P = .013) or those with fQRS+ (HR: 1.922; 95% CI: 1.151-3.210; P = .012) were at an increased risk of recurrence. A combination of fQRS+ and QTc more than 448 ms was superior to fQRS or QTc alone in predicting arrhythmia recurrence.
Conclusion:
In patients with HCM undergoing AF ablation, QTc prolongation, specifically >448 ms, and presence of fQRS are independent risk factors for arrhythmia recurrence at follow-up. The combination of these two parameters has greater predictive value and would help to identify patients who are at the highest risk of procedural failure.
More Related Videos
06:25Cooling or Warming the Esophagus to Reduce Esophageal Injury During Left Atrial Ablation in the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: March 15, 2020
08:10Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Amyloid Fibrils
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
Amyloid Fibrils
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy