Conclusions
In younger atrial fibrillation patients, there is a lower major complication rate and a comparable efficacy rate, with a greater chance of being AF free without antiarrhythmic drugs. These findings suggest that it may be appropriate to consider ablative therapy as first-line therapy in this age group.
Key words :atrial fibrillation; catheter ablation; complications;young patients
AF is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, with stroke and thromboembolic events being major complications[1]. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy is ineffective and toxic[2]. Catheter ablation is now considered as a first line treatment in patients with AF and is routinely performed in patients with drug refractory AF[3].
The prevalence and incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) rise with age, while the number of people aged 65 years and older has exceeded 20%[4]. AF can also be seen in young people with or without structural heart disease[5]. In addition, the pathogenesis of AF may differ between young and old AF patients[6]. Optimizing the effectiveness and safety of catheter ablation requires patient stratification and individualized therapy[7]. However, there is a scarcity of data from a large cohort study of younger AF patients on the effectiveness and safety of catheter ablation. As a result, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of AF catheter ablation in younger AF patients.