Catheter ablation or surgical therapy in moderate-severe tricuspid regurgitation caused by long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. Propensity score analysis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

This study aimed to describe the mid-term outcomes of different treatments in patients with atrial fibrillation caused tricuspid regurgitation.

METHODS:

A retrospective study of patients diagnosed as atrial fibrillation caused moderate-severe tricuspid regurgitation undergoing ablation (n = 411) were reviewed. The surgical cohort (n = 114) underwent surgical ablation and tricuspid valve repair; the catheter cohort (n = 279) was selected from those patients who had catheter ablation.

RESULTS:

The estimated actuarial 5-year survival rates were 96.8% (95% CI: 92.95-97.78) and 92.0% (95% CI: 85.26-95.78) in the catheter and surgical cohort, respectively. Tethering height was showed as independent risk factors for recurrent atrial fibrillation and tricuspid regurgitation in both cohorts. A matched group analysis using propensity-matched was conducted after categorizing total patients by tethering height < 6 mm and ≥ 6 mm. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed in patients with tethering height < 6 mm, there were no differences in survival from mortality, stroke, recurrent atrial fibrillation and tricuspid regurgitation between two groups. In patients with tethering height ≥ 6 mm, there were significantly higher cumulative incidence of stroke (95% CI, 0.047-0.849; P = 0.029), recurrent atrial fibrillation (95% CI, 0.357-09738; P = 0.039) and tricuspid regurgitation (95% CI, 0.359-0.981; P = 0.042) in catheter group.

CONCLUSIONS:

Atrial fibrillation caused tricuspid regurgitation resulted in less leaflets coaptation, which risk the recurrence of atrial fibrillation and tricuspid regurgitation. Patients whose tethering height was less than 6 mm showed satisfying improvement in tricuspid regurgitation with the restoration of sinus rhythm after catheter ablation. However, in patients with severe leaflets tethering, the results favored surgical over catheter.

• Authors: Jiangang Wang, Songnan Li, Qing Ye, Xiaolong Ma, Yichen Zhao, Jie Han, Yan Li, Shuai Zheng, Kemin Liu, Meng He, Wen Yu, Junhui Sun, Xu Meng
• Journal: Journal of cardiothoracic surgery (J Cardiothorac Surg) Vol. 15 Issue 1 Pg. 277 (Sep 29 2020) ISSN: 1749-8090 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32993732 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Aged
• Atrial Fibrillation (complications)
• Cardiac Surgical Procedures (adverse effects, methods)
• Catheter Ablation (adverse effects, methods)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Postoperative Complications
• Propensity Score
• Recurrence
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Stroke (etiology)
• Survival Rate
• Treatment Outcome
• Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency (etiology, surgery)