Follow up
No immediate or delayed complications of the procedure were observed.
The effect of parasympathetic modulation led to a significant increase of HR to 80 (65 – 85) bpm, p=0.007 and a reduction of PQ intervals in 12 lead ECG at 30 days to 160 (150 – 180) ms, p= 0.002. On 24-hour Holter monitoring there was a significant increase in minimal HR to 49 (43 – 56) bpm, p= 0,0063 and in mean to HR 78 (67 – 87) bpm, p= 0,0015 (table 2).
After a median follow-up of 8.4 (6.5 – 23.4) months, no patient had recurrence of symptoms and there was no recurrence of sinus arrest among the cohort. One patient referred for ablation for transient high-grade AV block showed paroxysmal 2nd degree Mobitz type I AV block (patient #10) and the remaining patients had no evidence of recurring AV block. None of the patients needed pacemaker implant. No significant atrial arrhythmias or AF recurrence were detected during follow-up apart for one patient without previously documented AF with ICM that had one-hour episode of AF at two months post ablation (patient #6).