Atrial fibrillation outcomes studied

MAYWOOD, Ill., Jan. 27 (UPI) -- A U.S. study suggests catheter ablation, in which energy is emitted from a catheter to eliminate the source of an irregular heartbeat, is a preferred therapy.

The scientists involved in the multi-center randomized study led by Dr. David Wilber of Loyola University Medical Center said there were significantly better outcomes in catheter ablation patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation -- intermittent cardiac rhythm disturbance -- who had not responded previously to anti-arrhythmic drug therapy.

Atrial fibrillation patients have an increased long-term risk of stroke and heart failure, the scientists said.

Wilber and his colleagues conducted a study to compare catheter ablation with anti-arrhythmic drug therapy. The study was conducted at 19 hospitals and included 167 patients.

The researchers found that at the end of the 9-month evaluation, 66 percent of patients in the catheter ablation group remained free from protocol-defined treatment failure compared to 16 percent of patients treated with anti-arrhythmic drug therapy.

"Similarly, 70 percent of patients treated by catheter ablation remained free of symptomatic recurrent atrial arrhythmia versus 19 percent of patients treated with (drug therapy)," Wilber said. "In addition, 63 percent of patients treated by catheter ablation were free of any recurrent atrial arrhythmia versus 17 percent of patients treated with ADT,"

The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.