Catheter ablation and functional outcomes in AF and HFpEF
Catheter ablation has been shown to improve HF symptoms as well as
NT-ProBNP levels in AF and HFpEF14-16, 19. A recent
study by Rattka et al16 showed that the average NYHA
class improved from 2.6 + 0.7 to 1.7 + 0.9 and the mean
NT-ProBNP level improved from 1840 + 2115 pg/ml to 824 +1095 pg/ml 12 months after the ablation procedure. Moreover, the
favorable TTE parameters for reverse remodeling associated with catheter
ablation have been demonstrated by several studies14,
19. Machino-Ohtsuka et al14 showed that sinus rhythm
maintenance with RFCA could significantly improve both the left
ventricular systolic and diastolic indices in AF with HFpEF. Also,
Rattka et al19 observed such TTE changes in CBA group
rather than medical treatment group. In accordance with these findings,
our present study revealed that the NYHA class, NT-ProBNP levels, and
LAD significantly improved at the end of follow-up compared with
baseline in patients with AF and concomitant HFpEF.