Postablation Follow-Up
After the ablation procedures, all patients were discharged without antiarrhythmic drugs, and were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and then every 6 months thereafter until 24 months. At each hospital visit, patient symptoms and a 12-lead ECG were recorded. If patients reported symptoms, we asked them to undergo ECG with a portable electrocardiographic monitor (HCG-901; OMRON, Kyoto, Japan) at least twice a day and at any time they experienced palpitations during the follow-up period. Twenty-four-hour Holter ECG was performed at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-procedure. Recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia was defined as any documented atrial tachyarrhythmia (AF or atrial tachycardia [AT]) lasting > 30 seconds on either device. ER was defined as any atrial tachyarrhythmia occurring during the first 3 months post-AF ablation and LR was defined as atrial tachyarrhythmias occurring after the first 3 months post-AF ablation.