3.4.2 Studies with 50W vs 40-50W in the high-power short-duration radio frequency ablation group
In the HPSD RFA group, there were 9 studies15,16,22-24,26-28,31 where ablation was performed with a setting of 50W, while 7 studies 17,18,20,21,25,29,30with a power setting of 40-50W. In order to reduce heterogeneity, two studies 19,31 exceeding the power of 50 W were excluded. Without increased complication rates, freedom from atrial arrhythmia at one year was higher in the HPSD RFA group with the power setting of 40-50W (P=0.03), conversely, no difference was found in this endpoint between the two groups with the power setting of 50W (P=0.52) (Supplementary material online, Figure S2). At 50W or 40-50W, total procedure duration (P<0.001), total RF duration (P<0.001) and fluoroscopy duration (P<0.001) (Supplementary material online, Figure S3) were both significantly shorter in the HPSD RFA group.