Outcomes
In the transplant group, the initial procedure success rate was 71.4% (n=10) after a mean follow-up of 30.1±13.7 months. Meanwhile, the initial procedure success rate was 73.2% (n=41) after a mean follow-up of 29.9±13.4 months in the control group. The procedure success rate was comparable between the two groups (P=1.000). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of whether the AF was paroxysmal (72.7% vs. 72.7%, P=1.000) or persistent (66.7% vs. 75.0%, P=1.000). All patients with a successful procedure were not taking AADs. The prognosis after initial ablation (as estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis) is shown in Figure 2A-B. The recurrence of AF was consistent between the transplant recipients and the controls (log-rank P=0.935), and AF recurrence-free survival was comparable among renal transplant recipients, hepatic transplant recipients and controls.
One patient (7.1%) in the transplant group and six patients (10.7%) in the control group underwent repeat ablation for recurrent AF. Of these, reconnected PVs were noted in six patients. Among the seven patients undergoing a repeated procedure, one patient in the control group suffered recurrent AF. Finally, during a mean follow-up period of 27.8±14.2 months after repeated ablation, 11 (78.6%) of the transplant patients, compared to 46 (82.1%) of the controls, remained in SR without any AAD (P=0.715). The prognosis after repeated ablation estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis is shown in Figure 2C-D. The recurrence of AF was consistent between the two groups (log-rank P=0.740), and AF recurrence-free survival was comparable among renal transplant recipients, hepatic transplant recipients and controls.
During follow-up, there were no occurrences of cardiac arrest, thromboembolism, major bleeding or all-cause death among the transplant recipients.