• Heart rhythm O2 · Feb 2021

    Catheter ablation and healthcare utilization and cost among patients with paroxysmal versus persistent atrial fibrillation.

    • Daniel J Friedman, Michael E Field, Motiur Rahman, Laura Goldstein, Qun Sha, M Sidharth, Rahul Khanna, and Jonathan P Piccini.
    • Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
    • Heart Rhythm O2. 2021 Feb 1; 2 (1): 28-36.

    BackgroundAblation reduces atrial fibrillation (AF) burden and improves health-related quality of life. The relationship between ablation, healthcare utilization, and AF type (paroxysmal AF [PAF] vs persistent AF [PsAF]) remains unclear.ObjectiveTo compare changes in AF-related healthcare utilization and costs from preablation to postablation among patients with PAF and PsAF.MethodsPatients (2794 PAF, 1909 PsAF) undergoing ablation (2016-2018) were identified using the Optum database. Outcomes included inpatient admissions, emergency department (ED) visits, office visits, cardioversion, and antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) use. Costs (2018 US$) and outcomes were compared for the year before/after ablation using the McNemar test and Wilcoxon signed rank test.ResultsCompared to PAF patients, PsAF patients were older (68.6 ± 9.0 years vs 67.4 ± 9.9 years, P < .0001), were less commonly female (36.3% vs 44.1%, P < .0001), and more commonly had a CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 3(71.2% vs 62.7%, P < .0001). The 12-month postablation costs were lower for AF-specific inpatient admissions (PAF -28%, PsAF -33%), ED visits (PAF -76%, PsAF -70%), AAD prescription fills (PAF -25%, PsAF -7%), and cardioversions (PAF -59%, PsAF -55%) as compared to 12 months before ablation. Although these reductions were observed for both PAF and PsAF patients, absolute costs remained higher for PsAF. Total AF costs were higher during the 1 year after ablation vs before ablation (PAF: 11%, P < .0001; PsAF: 10%, P < .0001) owing to repeat ablation. However, in the 18-month follow-up analysis, postablation costs were overall reduced (PAF: 35%, P < .0001; PsAF: 34%, P < .0001), despite including costs from repeat ablation.ConclusionSignificant reductions in healthcare utilization and costs were observed among PAF and PsAF patients undergoing ablation. These data suggest a strategy of earlier ablation may reduce long-term healthcare utilization and costs.© 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Heart Rhythm Society.

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