Catheter Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in Class IV Systolic Heart Failure: A Single-Center Case Series.

Abstract

Questions remain as to how aggressively catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation may be applied to patients with advanced systolic congestive heart failure, owing to a historic under-representation in multicenter clinical ablation trials. We sought to describe the experience of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation in Class IV systolic heart failure patients at our institution. All Class IV systolic heart failure patients (left ventricular assist device patients excluded) between 2017 and 2020 referred for radiofrequency ablation were included. Out of 10 patients, 7 agreed to proceed, had restoration of normal sinus rhythm upon completion of the catheter ablation procedure, and of which five (71%) remain in normal rhythm at a mean follow-up of 23 months. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with Class IV chronic systolic heart failure, even on advanced heart failure therapies, is feasible, and can improve heart failure status with maintenance of NSR.