Efficacy and safety of left atrial appendage electrical isolation during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: An updated meta-analysis

Jorge Romero, Mohamed Gabr, Kavisha Patel, David Briceno, Juan Carlos Diaz, Isabella Alviz, Chintan Trivedi, Sanghamitra Mohanty, Dalvert Polanco, Domenico Giovanni Della Rocca, Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, Andrea Natale, Luigi Di Biase

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: Left atrial appendage electrical isolation (LAAEI) has been shown to improve freedom from all-atrial arrhythmia recurrence in patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety outcomes of LAAEI in patients with non-paroxysmal AF undergoing catheter ablation. Methods and results: A systematic review of Medline, Cochrane, and Embase was performed for clinical studies evaluating the benefit of LAAEI in non-paroxysmal AF. Nine studies with a total of 2336 patients were included (mean age: 65 ± 9 years, 63% male). All studies included patients with persistent AF, long-standing persistent AF, or both. At a mean follow-up of 40.5 months, patients who underwent LAAEI had significantly higher freedom from all-atrial arrhythmia recurrence than patients who underwent standard ablation alone [69.3% vs. 46.4%; risk ratio (RR) 0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.69; P < 0.0001]. A 46% relative risk reduction and 22.9% absolute risk reduction in atrial-arrhythmia recurrence was noted with LAAEI. Rates of cerebral thromboembolism were not significantly different between the two groups (LAAEI 3% vs. standard ablation 1.6%, respectively; RR 1.76; 95% CI 0.61-5.04; P = 0.29). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the acute procedural complication rates between the two groups (LAAEI 4% vs. standard ablation 3%, respectively; RR 1.29; 95% CI 0.83-2.02; P = 0.26). Conclusion: At long-term follow-up, LAAEI led to a significantly higher improvement in freedom from all-atrial arrhythmia recurrence in patients with non-paroxysmal AF, when compared to standard ablation alone. Importantly, this benefit was achieved without an increased risk of acute procedural complications or cerebral thromboembolic events.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)226-237
Number of pages12
JournalEuropace
Volume23
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2021

Keywords

  • Cryoablation
  • LARIAT device
  • Left atrial appendage
  • Left atrial appendage electrical isolation
  • Long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation
  • Meta-analysis
  • Persistent atrial fibrillation
  • Radiofrequency ablation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)

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