Should We Maintain Anticoagulation after Successful Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation? The Need for a Randomized Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a high risk of thromboembolic stroke and oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) is able to reduce the rate of ischemic events. Nevertheless, the actual benefit of prolonged OAT after successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is not clear yet.

Methods

Scientific investigations were assumed suitable if they assessed the clinical significance of the use of anticoagulation versus no anticoagulation in AF patients undergoing successful RFCA. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the study summary measure.

Results

At meta-analysis, the rate of total thromboembolic events was not significantly different between the groups (OR 1.83, 95% CI 0.69-4.88; p = 0.221), while a lower incide

SUBMITTER: Santarpia G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5742595 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature