Quality of life is not improved aftermitral valve surgery combined with epicardial left atrial cryoablation as compared with mitral valve surgery alone : a substudy of the double blind randomized SWEDish Multicentre Atrial Fibrillation study (SWEDMAF)

• Aims: Concomitant surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery (MVS) has almost become routine despite lack of convincing information about improved quality-of-life (QOL) and clinical benefit. Quality-of-life was therefore assessed after MVS with or without epicardial left atrial cryoablation. Methods and results: Sixty-five patients with permanent AF randomized to MVS with or without left atrial cryoablation, in the doubleblinded multicentre SWEDMAF trial, replied to the Short Form 36 QOL survey at 6 and 12 months follow-up. The QOL scores at 12month follow-up did not differ significantly between patients undergoing MVS combined with cryoablation vs. those undergoing MVS alone regarding Physical Component Summary mean 42.8 (95% confidence interval 38.3-47.3) vs. mean 44.0 (40.1-47.7), P =0.700 or Mental Component Summary mean 53.1 (49.7-56.4) vs. mean 48.4 (44.6-52.2), P=0.075. All patients, irrespective of allocated procedure, reached the same QOL after surgery as an age-matched Swedish general population. The Physical Component Summary in patients with sinus rhythm did also not differ from those in AF at 12months; mean 45.4 (42.0-48.7) vs. mean 40.5 (35.5-45.6), P=0.096) nor was there a difference in Mental Component Summary; mean 51.0 (48.0-54.1) vs. mean 49.6 (44.6-54.5), P=0.581). Conclusion: Left atrial cryoablation added to MVS does not improve health-related QOL in patients with permanent AF, a finding that raises concerns regarding recommendations made for this combined procedure.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Quality-of-life

Ablation

Atrial fibrillation

Mitral valve surgery

Concomitant surgical ablation

Cardiology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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