Catheter ablation approach and outcome in HIV+ patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionEarlier studies have shown a clear association between severity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and incident atrial fibrillation (AF). We present the long‐term outcome of catheter ablation (CA) and electrophysiological characteristics in HIV+ AF patients.MethodsThis study evaluated 1438 consecutive AF patients [31 (2.15%) with HIV and 1407 (97.8%) without HIV diagnosis] undergoing their first CA at our center. A total of 31 HIV patients and 31 controls were generated by propensity matching, based on calculated risk factor scores, using a logistic model. During first procedure, all received isolation of pulmonary vein (PV) + posterior wall and superior vena cava. Non‐PV triggers, defined as ectopic triggers originating from sites other than PVs, were identified at the redo ablation with high‐dose isoproterenol challenge.ResultsClinical characteristics were not different between the groups. When compared to the control, by the end of 5 years after the first procedure, recurrence was significantly greater in HIV group [100% vs. 54%, p < .001]. Among patients that underwent redo ablation non‐PV triggers were higher in HIV group [93.5% vs. 54%, p < .001], and most frequently originated from the coronary sinus [67.7% vs. 45.2%, p < .001] and left atrial appendage [41.9% vs. 25.8%, p < .001]. After focal ablation of non‐PV trigger, no difference in arrhythmia recurrence between two groups [80.6% vs. 87.1%, p = .753] at 1‐year follow up was found.ConclusionOur findings suggest that non‐PV triggers are highly prevalent in HIV+ AF patients resulting in higher rate of the mid‐ and long‐term arrhythmia recurrence.