Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in Heart Failure Subtypes

Abstract

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) improves clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We aimed to evaluate the impact of CA on clinical and quality-of-life outcomes across HF subtypes.

Methods: All patients undergoing AF ablation at a tertiary center were enrolled in a prospective registry and included in this study (2013-2021). The primary end point was AF recurrence. Secondary end points included AF-related hospitalizations and quality-of-life outcomes. Patients were categorized according to their HF status: no HF, HFrEF, HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Results: A total of 7020 patients were included (80% no HF, 8% HFrEF, 7% HFmrEF, and 5% HFpEF). Over 3 years, the cumulative incidence of AF recurrence after ablation was as follows: HFpEF (53%), HFmrEF (41%), HFrEF (41%), and no HF (34%); P<0.01. Multivariable Cox analyses confirmed these findings using no HF group as reference (HFpEF: hazard ratio, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.21-1.78]; HFmrEF: hazard ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.04-1.45]; and HFrEF: hazard ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.01-1.37]; P<0.05 for all). In all groups, CA resulted in a significant reduction of AF-related hospitalization (mean rate per 1 patient-years [before and after CA]; HFpEF [1.8 versus 0.3], HFmrEF [1.1 versus 0.2], HFrEF [1.1 versus 0.2], and no HF [1 versus 0.1]; P<0.01 for each comparison) and significant improvement in quality of life as measured by both the AF symptom severity score and the AF burden score (P<0.01 for the comparison between baseline and follow-up for each score when tested separately).

Conclusions: AF recurrence rates after CA were higher in patients with HF compared with those without HF, with patients with HFpEF being at the highest risk of recurrence. Nonetheless, CA was associated with a significant reduction in AF symptoms, AF-related hospitalization, and HF symptoms in most patients irrespective of HF subtypes.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation; catheter ablation; heart failure; patient-reported outcome measures; quality of life.