Yonsei Med J.  2015 Jan;56(1):31-37. 10.3349/ymj.2015.56.1.31.

Predictors of Sick Sinus Syndrome in Patients after Successful Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Flutter

• Song C
• Jin MN
• Lee JH
• Kim IS
• Uhm JS
• Pak HN
• Lee MH
• Joung B

• KMID: 2352786
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2015.56.1.31

Abstract

PURPOSE
The identification of sick sinus syndrome (SSS) in patients with atrial flutter (AFL) is difficult before the termination of AFL. This study investigated the patient characteristics used in predicting a high risk of SSS after AFL ablation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Out of 339 consecutive patients who had undergone radiofrequency ablation for AFL from 1991 to 2012, 27 (8%) had SSS (SSS group). We compared the clinical characteristics of patients with and without SSS (n=312, no-SSS group).
RESULTS
The SSS group was more likely to have a lower body mass index (SSS: 22.5+/-3.2; no-SSS: 24.0+/-3.0 kg/m2; p=0.02), a history of atrial septal defects (ASD; SSS: 19%; no-SSS: 6%; p=0.01), a history of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG; SSS: 11%; no-SSS: 2%; p=0.002), and a longer flutter cycle length (CL; SSS: 262.3+/-39.2; no-SSS: 243.0+/-40; p=0.02) than the no-SSS group. In multivariate analysis, a history of ASD [odds ratio (OR) 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-11.4, p=0.02] and CABG (7.1, 95% CI 1.5-32.8, p=0.01) as well as longer flutter CL (1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2, p=0.04) were independent risk factors for SSS.
CONCLUSION
A history of ASD and CABG as well as longer flutter CL increased the risk of SSS after AFL ablation. While half of the patients with SSS after AFL ablation experienced transient SSS, heart failure was associated with irreversible SSS.

Keyword

Atrial flutter; ablation; sick sinus syndrome

MeSH Terms

Atrial Flutter/physiopathology/*surgery
Catheter Ablation/*adverse effects
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Risk Factors
Sick Sinus Syndrome/*etiology/physiopathology
Treatment Outcome

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