Abstract 15554: Three-Year Incidence of Pacemaker Implantation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Sinus Node Dysfunction Receiving Ablation versus Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Abstract

Introduction: Around one in five patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has a diagnosis of sinus node dysfunction (SND). Hypothesis: There will be lower incidence of pacemaker implantation (PPM) among patients with AF and SND who undergo catheter ablation (CA) compared to anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD). Methods: Data were collected from 2014-2022 utilizing Optum Clinformatics database, an administrative claims database for commercially insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in the United States. Adult patients with concomitant AF and SND, and prior history of taking at least one AAD were identified and classified into CA or AAD cohort based for subsequent treatment. Patients were excluded if they had a prior history of PPM, implantable cardiac defibrillator, catheter or surgical ablation, AV nodal ablation, valvular procedure, left atrial appendage occlusion, or high grade/complete heart block. Inverse probability treatment weighting technique was applied to balance sociodemographic and clinical comorbid characteristics between the cohorts. Weighted Cox regression model was used to evaluate the differential risk of incident PPM. Sub-analyses were performed by AF type (paroxysmal and persistent AF). Results: There were 1,206 patients in AAD cohort and 1,624 patients in CA cohort. Incidence rate (per 1,000 person-year) of PPM was 55.8 (95% CI 47.1-64.5) for CA cohort and 117.8 (95% CI 101.7-133.9) for AAD cohort and the 3-year cumulative incidence of PPM was 23.1% (95% CI 20.0%-26.2%) and 13.8% (95% CI 11.6%-15.9%), respectively. Weighted Cox regression model indicated that CA had 43% lower risk of incident PPM compared to AADs (hazard ratio [HR] 0.57; 95% CI 0.46-0.71). Those with paroxysmal AF (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.34-0.69) had lower need for PPM compared to persistent AF (HR 0.57; 95% CI 0.40-0.81). Conclusions: Patients with AF and SND treated with CA were observed to have significantly lower risk of incident pacemaker implantation compared to those who had AAD.