30 May 2010

RFA-HF

Topics: Heart Failure (HF)
Session number: 113
Session title: Late Breaking Trials - Session I
Authors: M R MacDonald (Glasgow,GB)

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M R MacDonald (Glasgow,GB)

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	Discussant \| see Presenter report
	B Andersson (Gothenburg,SE)
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Conclusion Atrial fibrillation in heart failure is a major clinical problem, where optimal treatment strategies are lacking. Observational studies have shown promising results with RF ablation. McDonald and coworkers investigated RF ablation vs. conventional medical therapy, to achieve sinus rhythm in a group of patients with heart failure. The primary end-point, increase in EF by magnetic resonance imaging, was negative, although as measured by radionuclide ventriculography, an increase in EF was observed in patients undergoing RF ablation. EF measurements are difficult in the presence of atrial fibrillation which could be a reason for the lack of positive response in the study. Further, it was a small study with high complication rate and low success rate. Larger studies with longer follow-up will be needed to give us information about the real value of RF ablation in HF patients.

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