A Randomized Controlled Study on the Waveform Periodicity Analysis of Complex Fractionated Electrograms in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been the most frequently occurring, sustained arrhythmia, which causes significant morbidity and mortality. AF may not always be a totally random process. It can be maintained by stable and rapid reentrant circuits resulting in fibrillary conduction throughout the atria. During mapping of AF, difficulty is frequently encountered during the identification of culprit sites and an analysis of the wave propagation particularly when the electrogram signals demonstrate wide temporal and spatial disparities. Catheter ablation targeting regions with fractionated potentials or high frequencies during AF, has been previously proposed as a treatment strategy. However, the benefit of adjunctive CFAE (complex fractionated atrial electrogram) ablation or linear ablation after successful PVI (pulmonary vein isolation) was controversial based on the recent data from the Substrate and Trigger Ablation for Reduction of Atrial Fibrillation Trial Part II (STAR AF II) trial. Therefore, the optimal ablation strategy for persistent AF remains undetermined and an alternative approach has to be explored.
• Patents who sign the informed consent forms, and allow to be followed.
• Symptomatic AF refractory or intolerant to at least one Class 1 or 3 antiarrhythmic medication.
• Patients with persistent/permanent AF (sustained beyond seven days, or lasting less than seven days but necessitating pharmacologic or electrical cardioversion).
• Patients with age equal or greater than 20 years old regardless of gender.