导管射频消融与药物治疗心房颤动的对照观察--治疗策略的有效性及随访终点多因素分析

导管射频消融近年成为心房颤动（房颤）较有希望的非药物治疗方法,其应用由阵发性房颤扩展至持续性房颤及部分永久性房颤.目前正展开的关于消融治疗应大力推广还是从严掌握指征的争论中,涉及消融较药物治疗其效益提高的程度以及药物治疗还有多大空间的问题,但国内尚未见将消融与药物治疗长期随访比较的报道,本研究为本院病例的对照分析.     

慢性持续性和永久性心房颤动的经导管射频消融

心房颤动（atrial fibrillation,房颤）是临床上最常见的快速型心律失常之一。近年随着经导管消融治疗房颤的迅速发展,其已成为根治房颤最有希望的技术。2006年美国心脏病学学会/美国心脏协会/欧洲心脏协会（ACC/AHA/ESC）房颤治疗指南第1次将经导管消融治疗作为房颤患者的标准治疗手段：无论是阵发性房颤还是持续性房颤．只要对1种Ⅰ类或Ⅲ类抗心律失常药物治疗无效或有不能耐受的症状性房颤．即可作为药物治疗之后的二线治疗进行导管消融。     

抛弃“肺静脉电隔离是心房颤动消融基石”概念的时刻到了吗？医学信息

在过去十几年间,导管射频消融已逐渐发展为药物治疗无效的顽固性心房颤动（简称房颤）的一种重要手段。肺静脉电隔离（PVI）已被作为房颤的导管消融和外科手术治疗的终点。事实上,2007及2012欧洲心律学会（EHRA）和欧洲心律失常学会（ECAS）专家共识都把PVI视为大多数房颤消融手术的基石。     

阵发性房颤经导管射频消融与药物治疗的对比评价

目的比较阵发性房颤经导管射频消融与抗心律失常药物治疗的长期疗效。方法连续入选阵发性房颤患者26例,给予CARTO指导下的射频消融环肺静脉电隔离术,配对入选26例房颤患者,给予药物治疗。临床随访观察房颤、房速的发生情况。结果平均随访28.7个月。消融组患者73.1%消融成功,药物治疗对照组11.5%无房颤发作,差异有统计学意义(P0.001)。结论研究结果提示,阵发性房颤患者射频消融治疗的长期效果明显优于药物治疗。     

射频消融因心房颤动服用Ⅰc或Ⅲ类抗心律失常药物后的心房扑动

射频导管消融治疗典型心房扑动(房扑)取得了很好的效果，但持续性心房颤动(房颤)的药物或经导管消融治疗的效果目前尚不理想。在部分典型房扑合并房颤或部分持续性房颤的患者中，服用Ⅰc类或Ⅲ类抗心律失常药物过程中，房颤可以转变为典型房扑，本组前瞻性地观察消融典型房扑并继续抗心律失常药物治疗对房颤的影响。     

心房颤动的节律控制：如何更好地使用药物与导管消融

心房颤动（房颤）的节律控制是指通过应用抗心律失常药物、直流电转复、导管或外科消融恢复窦性心律并进行长期维持。如今节律控制已成为房颤治疗的主流策略,抗心律失常药物回归核心地位,导管消融迅速崛起,使用好抗心律失常药物和导管消融将是临床实践中至关重要的问题。     

心房颤动的抗栓治疗评价和药物治疗

心房颤动(简称房颤)是临床常见的心律失常,目前房颤治疗在基层医院仍以药物治疗为主,国内外比较大的心脏中心已开展导管消融,但消融治疗费用高且存在创伤风险,特别是持续性房颤远期复发率高.所以药物治疗在我国仍是治疗房颤的主要手段之一.     

房颤射频消融的进展和挑战

导管射频消融是近二十年来房颤研究领域进展最快,也是最有希望根治房颤的方法。多项临床研究显示,在窦律维持、生活质量等方面,导管消融治疗房颤优于抗心律失常药物治疗。导管消融的经历了多种术式,基本上可以分为两类：一类是以肺静脉为主要靶点的术式,包括肺静脉点消融、环形消融、肺静脉节段性电隔离和环肺静脉电隔离等;另一类是不以肺静脉为主要靶点的术式,包括神经节丛消融、复杂碎裂心房电位（CFAE ）消融、转子（rotor）消融等。     

心律失常治疗的现代进展(1)心房颤动治疗在我国的现状及未来(待续)

治疗心房颤动(房颤)的各种策略,包括药物治疗、经导管射频消融、外科迷宫术、植入型心房除颤仪、起搏治疗等在我国均有开展,其中应用最多的是药物治疗,发展最快的是经导管射频消融.未来房颤治疗有下列发展趋势:①经导管消融治疗将会得到进一步发展,复合术式将成为主流,多种新型标测系统将用于临床,循证医学的研究也将大力开展;②基因治疗将会成为房颤治疗策略的重要研究方向;③应积极研制既能使房颤律转复为窦律,且同时又可降低死亡率的抗心律失常药物和有效、方便、出血副作用少的抗凝药物.     

心房颤动的诊断及导管消融治疗进展

心房颤动（房颤）是最常见的持续性心律失常,发病率约为0.5%,且随年龄增长逐渐增高,在60岁以上的人群中,其发病率高达6%以上。长期以来,房颤的药物治疗效果不甚理想,且长期服药还会增加药物的致心律失常作用。1997年．法国JaYs等口嶂：先尝试采用局灶性消融的方法治疗阵发性房颤，从此房颤导管消融治疗在世界各地广泛开展起来。在此后10余年的发展中，房颤导管消融技术不断更新、变化，并出现了一些新的消融术式，     

Hybrid Therapy with Right Atrial Catheter Ablation and Previously Ineffective Antiarrhythmic Drugs for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Many patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) become refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs). Early studies suggested that linear catheter ablation in the right atrium may provide sufficient substrate modification to reestablish therapeutic efficacy of previously ineffective AADs.Methods: This prospective before-after multicenter trial evaluated the safety and effectiveness of hybrid therapy that included right atrial catheter ablation coupled with a regimen of previously ineffective AADs on AF episode frequency and symptoms in drug refractory patients with paroxysmal AF. A standard linear lesion set (lateral, septal, isthmus) was used in all subjects. AF episode frequency, clinical arrhythmia symptoms, condition-specific (AFSS) and global health-related quality of life (SF-36) were assessed prior to ablation and at 6 months.Results: Ninety-three subjects, refractory to an average 2.9 AADs at baseline, qualified for inclusion and underwent right atrial catheter ablation. Eighty-four subjects (90%) provided 6 month AF episode frequency data which demonstrated a significant decrease compared to baseline (3.4 vs. 9.5, p < 0.0001). Forty-nine subjects (58%) were considered a clinical success by virtue of achieving a pre-specified target level episode frequency reduction of 50% or greater. Substantial and statistically significant improvements were realized almost uniformly for all measured arrhythmia symptoms as well as for both quality of life measures. The incidence of major complications was 5.4%.Conclusions: The addition of right atrial catheter ablation to a regimen of previously ineffective AADs is associated with a significant reduction in the frequency, duration and severity of AF episodes and symptoms.     

Use of antiarrhythmic drugs during ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation: observations from a large single-centre cohort

Catheter ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE), also known as defragmentation ablation, may be considered for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) beyond pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Concomitant antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy is common, but the relevance of AAD administration and its optimal timing during ablation remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the use and timing of AADs during defragmentation ablation and their possible implications for AF termination and ablation success in a large cohort of patients. Retrospectively, we included 200 consecutive patients (age: 61 ± 12 years, LA diameter: 47 ± 8 mm) with persistent AF (episode duration 47 ± 72 weeks) who underwent de novo ablation including CFAE ablation. In all patients, PVI was performed prior to CFAE ablation. The use and timing of AADs were registered. The follow-ups consisted of Holter ECGs and clinical visits. Termination of AF was achieved in 132 patients (66 %). Intraprocedural AADs were administered in 168/200 patients (84 %) 45 ± 27 min after completion of PVI. Amiodarone was used in the majority of the patients (160/168). The timing of AAD administration was predicted by the atrial fibrillation cycle length (AFCL). At follow-up, 88 patients (46 %) were free from atrial arrhythmia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that administration of AAD early after PVI, LA size, duration of AF history, sex and AFCL were predictors of AF termination. The administration of AAD and its timing were not predictive of outcome, and age was the sole independent predictor of AF recurrence. The administration of AAD during ablation was common in this large cohort of persistent AF patients. The choice to administer AAD therapy and the timing of the administration during ablation were influenced by AFCL, and these factors did not significantly influence the moderate single procedure success rate in this retrospective analysis.     

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. -State of the Art-

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Since the first report of catheter ablation curing AF, numerous techniques have evolved, from linear ablation to segmental pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, to extensive encircling PV isolation, to left atrial (LA) linear ablation, to ablation of complex fragmented atrial electrograms (CFAEs) and ablation of ganglionated plexi. A new approach for complete isolation of the posterior LA, including all PVs, is box isolation. PV isolation is associated with a high clinical success rate in paroxysmal AF. However, in persistent AF or longstanding persistent AF, PV isolation only may not be sufficient, so additional ablation at sites with CFAEs is needed to improve the clinical outcome. A hybrid approach of combining PV isolation plus CFAE ablation is highly effective in the majority of patients with persistent AF or longstanding persistent AF. Thus, AF ablation is an effective and established treatment for AF that offers an excellent chance of a lasting cure. It is about time that AF ablation became a first-line therapy for selected patients with AF.     

中国经导管消融治疗心房颤动注册研究-2008

目的分析2008年我国经导管消融治疗心房颤动（房颤）工作的状况。方法根据房颤注册研究网上平台获得的资料，对2008年我国经导管消融治疗房颤的病例资料进行回顾性分析。结果截至2010年10月5日，调查共收到53家医院提供的注册登记病例资料2808份，其中男1946例，女862例，平均年龄（57．4±11．4）岁。阵发性房颤占71．5％，持续性房颤占22．8％，持久性房颤占5．7％。47．2％的患者合并1种或1种以上的基础心脏疾病。左心房直径（40．6±11．7）mm，左心室舒张末期内径（48．4±5．4）mm，左心室射血分数0．63±0．08。经导管消融治疗房颤的主要术式是环肺静脉隔离术和环肺静脉隔离加必要心房辅助线，消融能源全部为射频。2008年总的消融术成功率为82．1％，复发率为17．9％，对成功率和复发率有显著影响的因素有左心房直径、房颤类型和消融术式。总的并发症发生率为1．7％，严重并发症如心脏压塞和肺静脉狭窄的发生率为0．74％，无心房食管瘘的发生。结论建议在相关条件较好的医院，可将经导管消融作为无基础心脏疾病的阵发性房颤的一线治疗方法。     

环状冷冻导管肺静脉电隔离治疗心房颤动的长期疗效观察

目的探讨环状冷冻导管肺静脉电隔离治疗心房颤动(简称房颤)的长期疗效。方法本中心共有17例房颤患者接受并完成了环状冷冻导管肺静脉电隔离术。消融的终点是肺静脉电位消失。随访成功的定义为经3个月洗脱期后无症状性快速性房性心律失常发生。相对有效为患者症状明显缓解,房颤或其它房性心律失常发作频率较术前明显减少,以及服用抗心律失常药物(AADs)后房颤不发作。结果 13例患者完成随访,随访时间5.1±0.5年,其中4例术后未再发作房颤及其他房性心律失常,未服AADs;6例症状改善,其中3例患者服用AADs后房颤未发;3例经AADs治疗后仍有房颤发作,其中1例进行了第2次射频消融治疗。冷冻消融治疗房颤的长期治愈率30.8%,相对有效率46.2%,合计有效率为76.9%。结论环状冷冻导管肺静脉电隔离治疗房颤长期有一定的疗效,但进一步的提高还需更多研究。     

Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Catheter Ablation or Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy in the CABANA Trial

BackgroundThe CABANA (Catheter Ablation Versus Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation) trial randomized 2,204 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) to catheter ablation or drug therapy. Analysis by intention-to-treat showed a nonsignificant 14% relative reduction in the primary outcome of death, disabling stroke, serious bleeding, or cardiac arrest.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess recurrence of AF in the CABANA trial.MethodsThe authors prospectively studied CABANA patients using a proprietary electrocardiogram recording monitor for symptom-activated and 24-h AF auto detection. The AF recurrence endpoint was any post–90-day blanking atrial tachyarrhythmias lasting 30 s or longer. Biannual 96-h Holter monitoring was used to assess AF burden. Patients who used the CABANA monitors and provided 90-day post-blanking recordings qualified for this analysis (n = 1,240; 56% of CABANA population). Treatment comparisons were performed using a modified intention-to-treat approach.ResultsMedian age of the 1,240 patients was 68 years, 34.4% were women, and AF was paroxysmal in 43.0%. Over 60 months of follow-up, first recurrence of any symptomatic or asymptomatic AF (hazard ratio: 0.52; 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.60; p < 0.001) or first symptomatic-only AF (hazard ratio: 0.49; 95% confidence interval: 0.39 to 0.61; p < 0.001) were both significantly reduced in the catheter ablation group. Baseline Holter AF burden in both treatment groups was 48%. At 12 months, AF burden in ablation patients averaged 6.3%, and in drug-therapy patients, 14.4%. AF burden was significantly less in catheter ablation compared with drug-therapy patients across the 5-year follow-up (p < 0.001). These findings were not sensitive to the baseline pattern of AF.ConclusionsCatheter ablation was effective in reducing recurrence of any AF by 48% and symptomatic AF by 51% compared with drug therapy over 5 years of follow-up. Furthermore, AF burden was also significantly reduced in catheter ablation patients, regardless of their baseline AF type. (Catheter Ablation vs Anti-arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation Trial [CABANA]; NCT00911508)     

Does Left Atrial Volume and Pulmonary Venous Anatomy Predict the Outcome of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation?

Introduction: Preprocedural factors may be helpful in selecting patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for treatment with catheter ablation and in making an assumption regarding their prognosis. The aims of this study were to investigate whether left atrial (LA) volume and pulmonary venous (PV) anatomy, evaluated by computed tomography (CT) prior to ablation, will predict AF recurrence following catheter ablation.
Methods and Results: We included 146 patients (mean age 57 ± 11 years, 83% male) with symptomatic AF (55% paroxysmal, 18% persistent, 27% long-standing persistent). All patients underwent CT scanning prior to catheter ablation to evaluate LA volume and PV anatomy. Circumferential PV isolation was performed guided by Cartomerge electroanatomical mapping. The outcome was defined as complete success, improvement, or failure.
After a mean follow-up of 19 ±7 months, complete success was achieved in 59 patients (40%), and 38 patients (26%) demonstrated improvement. LA volume was found to be an independent predictor of AF recurrence with an adjusted OR of 1.14 for every 10-mL increase in volume (95% CI 1.00–1.29, P = 0.047). PV variations were equally distributed among the different outcomes of the ablation procedure, and therefore univariate analysis did not identify PV anatomy as a predictor of outcome.
Conclusion: LA volume is an independent predictor of AF recurrence after catheter ablation. Additionally, PV anatomy did not have any effect on the outcome. These findings suggest that an assessment of LA volume may be incorporated into the preprocedural evaluation of patients being considered for AF ablation.     

Catheter Ablation as First-Line Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation: Ready for Prime-Time?

Current guidelines include atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation as part of the management strategy in patients that have failed at least one oral antiarrhythmic drug treatment course. However, growing evidence derived from both randomized and non-randomized studies demonstrate lower rates of AF recurrence and AF burden in patients with paroxysmal AF that are naïve to antiarrhythmic drug treatment. Furthermore, progression from paroxysmal AF to persistent AF appears to be delayed by early catheter ablation of AF. The current review addresses the question of the best timing for ablation in patients with paroxysmal AF and provides the rationale for offering AF ablation as first-line therapy based on the most updated evidence available.     

左心耳电隔离在持续性心房颤动治疗中的研究进展

肺静脉隔离是心房颤动(房颤)导管消融的基石,对于阵发性房颤有良好效果,但在持续性房颤中的效果则不尽人意.肺静脉隔离以外的辅助消融策略有助于提高持续性房颤的手术成功率.左心耳不仅是心腔内血栓的常见起源,还是导致快速性房性心律失常发生或维持的因素,因而左心耳电隔离成为持续性房颤辅助消融策略之一,研究表明其可能有助于提高持续...     

Image‐Integration of Intraprocedural Rotational Angiography‐Based 3D Reconstructions of Left Atrium and Pulmonary Veins into Electroanatomical Mapping: Accuracy of a Novel Modality in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

DynaCT Cardiac Integration into Electroanatomical Mapping. Introduction: Exact visualization of complex left atrial (LA) anatomy is crucial for safety and success rates when performing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of our study was to validate the accuracy of integrating rotational angiography‐based 3‐dimensional (3D) reconstructions of LA and pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy into an electroanatomical mapping (EAM) system. Methods and Results: In 38 patients (62 ± 8 years, 25 females) undergoing catheter ablation of paroxysmal (n = 19) or persistent (n = 19) AF, intraprocedural rotational angiography of LA and PVs was performed. The subsequent 3D reconstruction and segmentation of LA and PVs was transferred to the EAM system and registered to the EAM. The distances of all EAM points to corresponding points on the LA syngo® DynaCT Cardiac surface were calculated. Segmentation of LA with clear visualization of adjacent structures was possible in all patients. Also, the integrated segmentation of the LA was used to guide the encirclement of ipsilateral veins, which resulted in PV isolation in all patients. Integration into the 3D mapping system was achieved with a distance error of 2.2 ± 0.4 mm when compared with the EAM surface. Subgroups with paroxysmal and persistent AF showed distance errors of 2.3 ± 0.3 mm and 2.1 ± 0.4 mm, respectively (P = n.s.). Conclusion: Intraprocedural registration of LA and PV anatomy by contrast enhanced rotational angiography was feasible and accurate. There were no differences between patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF. Therefore, integration of rotational angiography‐based reconstructions into 3D EAM systems might be helpful to guide catheter ablation for AF. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 278–283, March 2010)