Title:Cardiac Radiofrequency Ablation Exacerbates Myocardial Injury through
Pro-Inflammatory Response and Pro-Oxidative Stress in Elderly Patients
with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Volume: 22
Issue: 2
Author(s): Xia Li*, Wenhang Zhou, Dianxuan Guo, Youdong Hu, Hualan Zhou and Ying Chen
Affiliation:
- Xiamen Road Branch Hospital, The Affiliated Huaian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huaian 22305, China
Keywords:
Radiofrequency ablation, myocardial injury, pro-inflammatory response, pro-oxidative stress, elderly patients, atrial fibrillation.
Abstract:
Background: There is a need to assess myocardial damage after radiofrequency ablation of
the pulmonary veins (PV) for persistent atrial fibrillation (PAF) in elderly patients.
Objective: To evaluate oxidative stress, inflammatory response and myocardial damage in elderly
patients with PAF after radiofrequency ablation of the PV.
Methods: High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT), malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein
(MDA-LDL), acrolein (ACR), lipid hydroperoxide (LHP), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), soluble
growth stimulation expressed gene 2 (sST2), angiotensin II (Ang II) and myocardial blood flow
(MBF) were determined before ablation and at 1, 3 and 5 months after radiofrequency ablation.
Results: The levels of hsTnT, MDA-LDL, ACR, LHP, TLR4, sST2 and Ang II were increased 3
months after ablations compared with before ablation and 1 month after ablation, respectively
(P<0.001); they were further increased at 5 months after ablation compared with the 1- and 3-month
groups, respectively (P<0.001). MBF was decreased in the 3 months group after ablations compared
with before ablation and 1-month after ablation, respectively (P<0.001), and was further decreased in
5-months after ablations compared with 1-month and 3-month groups, respectively (P<0.001). Patients
with epicardial monopolar radiofrequency ablation had higher levels of hsTnT, MDA-LDL,
ACR, LHP, TLR4, sST2, Ang II and lower MBF than patients with endocardial monopolar and bipolar
radiofrequency ablations, respectively (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Monopolar radiofrequency ablation method could result in more myocardial injury than
bipolar radiofrequency ablation. Oxidative stress and inflammatory response may be involved in cardiac
radiofrequency ablation-induced myocardial injury, resulting in myocardial ischemia in elderly
patients with PAF.