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.