Aerobic Capacity Before And After Radio Frequency Ablative Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia which is presently being treated with Radio frequency ablative surgery and its effects on aerobic capacity is unknown. Aerobic capacity has been assessed on all age ranges but there is little data on individuals with atrial fibrillation. PURPOSE: To determine the aerobic capacity in individuals with atrial fibrillation before and after radio frequency ablative treatment. METHODS: 12 individuals diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and scheduled for radiofrequency ablative surgery (65.25 ± 9.20 years) were selected for testing of which 3 were females and 9 were males. The tests were scheduled for one week prior and one month after the procedure. Graded exercise tests were completed on a cycle ergometer with a minimum cadence of 50 rpm. Heart rate metabolic data, and perceived exertion was collected at rest, exercise, and recovery. RESULTS: Twelve subjects complete testing prior to the procedure and three were able to complete the follow-up testing after 1 month of the procedure. Nine subjects withdrew due to post-operative complications (n=4) and treatment failure (n=5). Baseline VO2 for the twelve subjects was 13.24 ± 5.64 ml/kg/min. The three subjects able to complete the before and after assessments showed a reduction in aerobic capacity (14.4 ± 3.1 and 11.46 ± 3.82 ml/kg/min, respectively). Although this is statistically insignificant due to the low number of participants, it should be noted that these values are substantially lower than the normative values for that average age range pre and post testing. CONCLUSION: The aerobic capacity of all subjects’ prior to surgery were low when compared to normative data for their age group and fell in a range closer to heart failure NYHA Class III. The post-operative data shows further deterioration suggesting that one month post-surgery is not enough time for full recovery of this patient population. Further studies should assess long-term follow-up post 6 and 12 months to identify the effects of this procedure on physical capacity.