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ObjectiveTo investigate changes in quality of life (QoL), cognition and functional status according to arrhythmia recurrence after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.MethodsWe compared QoL, cognition and functional status in patients with recurrent atrial tachycardia (AT)/AF versus those without recurrent AT/AF in the AXAFA–AFNET 5 clinical trial. We also sought to identify factors associated with improvement in QoL and functional status following AF ablation by overall change scores with and without analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).ResultsAmong 518 patients who underwent AF ablation, 154 (29.7%) experienced recurrent AT/AF at 3 months. Patients with recurrent AT/AF had higher mean CHA2DS2-VASc scores (2.8 vs 2.3, pConclusionsPatients without recurrent AT/AF appear to experience greater improvement in functional status but similar QoL as those with recurrent AT/AF after AF ablation.

Aims: It is recommended to perform atrial fibrillation ablation with continuous anticoagulation. Continuous apixaban has not been tested.Methods and results: We compared continuous apixaban (5 mg b.i.d.) to vitamin K antagonists (VKA, international normalized ratio 2-3) in atrial fibrillation patients at risk of stroke a prospective, open, multi-centre study with blinded outcome assessment. Primary outcome was a composite of death, stroke, or bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 2-5). A high-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sub-study quantified acute brain lesions. Cognitive function was assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline and at end of follow-up. Overall, 674 patients (median age 64 years, 33% female, 42% non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 49 sites) were randomized; 633 received study drug and underwent ablation; 335 undertook MRI (25 sites, 323 analysable scans). The primary outcome was observed in 22/318 patients randomized to apixaban, and in 23/315 randomized to VKA {difference -0.38% [90% confidence interval (CI) -4.0%, 3.3%], non-inferiority P = 0.0002 at the pre-specified absolute margin of 0.075}, including 2 (0.3%) deaths, 2 (0.3%) strokes, and 24 (3.8%) ISTH major bleeds. Acute small brain lesions were found in a similar number of patients in each arm [apixaban 44/162 (27.2%); VKA 40/161 (24.8%); P = 0.64]. Cognitive function increased at the end of follow-up (median 1 MoCA unit; P = 0.005) without differences between study groups.Conclusions: Continuous apixaban is safe and effective in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation at risk of stroke with respect to bleeding, stroke, and cognitive function. Further research is needed to reduce ablation-related acute brain lesions.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine whether increased QT interval variability is associated with an increased risk for ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), documented by interrogation of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), in patients enrolled in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT) II.BackgroundUnstable repolarization has been proposed as a risk factor for re-entrant arrhythmias, but confirmatory data from clinical trials are lacking.MethodsThe QT variability was assessed in 10-min, resting high-resolution electrocardiogram recordings at study entry using a semiautomated algorithm that measured beat-to-beat QT duration in 817 MADIT II patients. The incidence of VT/VF requiring device therapy was determined by ICD interrogation.ResultsMedian normalized QT variability (QTVN) was 0.179 and 0.125, respectively, in patients with VT/VF versus those without VT/VF (p = 0.001); QTVI (QTVN adjusted for heart rate variance) also was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in VT/VF patients than in those without VT/VF. Either QTVN or QTVI was linked with a significantly higher probability of VT/VF: two-year risk of VT/VF from Kaplan-Meier curves was 40% in highest quartile versus 21% in lower quartiles for QTVN, and 37% versus 22% for QTVI (p < 0.05 for each). In multivariate Cox regression models adjusting for clinical covariates (race, New York Heart Association functional class, time after myocardial infarction), top-quartile QTVI and QTVN were independently associated with VT/VF (hazard ratio for QTVN 2.18, 95%confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 3.55, p = 0.002; hazard ratio for QTVI 1.80, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.95, p = 0.021).ConclusionsIn postinfarction patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction, increased QT variability, a marker of repolarization lability, is associated with an increased risk for VT/VF.