Mechanisms and clinical significance of early recurrences of atrial arrhythmias after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Table 1 Characteristics which are predictive of the development of early recurrences of atrial arrhythmias after atrial fibrillation ablation

Clinical characteristics

Older age[5]

Male gender[7]

Hypertension[5]

Structural heart disease[10,20]

Longer AF duration[5]

Nonparoxysmal AF type[5]

CHA2DS2-VASc, R2CHADS2 scores[11]

Imaging characteristics

Left atrial size/volume[5]

Right atrial size/volume[12]

Left ventricular size/volume[13]

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction[14]

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction[15]

Left atrial epicardial adipose tissue[16]

Ablation procedural characteristics

Incomplete PVI[13,20]

AF inducibility[21]

Multiple AF foci[10]

LA free wall AF foci[10]

Lack of AF termination during procedure[22]

Lack of SVC isolation[5]

Inflammatory markers

Higher body temperature post-ablation[17]

C-reactive protein[17]

Homocysteine[18]

Increased LA roof thickness with delayed enhancement MRI 24 h post-ablation[19]

Table modified from Andrade et al[2]. AF: Atrial fibrillation; PVI: Pulmonary vein isolation; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.