Circulatory dynamics changes are an additional predictor of successful pulmonary vein isolation during cryoballoon ablation.

Abstract

The association between circulatory dynamics changes during cryoballoon applications and a successful pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is unknown. Seventy atrial fibrillation patients who underwent PVI with 28-mm second-generation cryoballoons and single 3-min freezes were included. Intra-procedural parameters including circulatory dynamics changes during cryoapplications, were compared between 113 successful applications (30 left superior PVs[LSPVs], 30 left inferior PVs[LIPVs], 25 right superior PVs[RSPVs], and 28 right inferior PVs[RIPVs]) and 47 failed applications (10 LSPVs, 9 LIPVs, 8 RSPVs, and 20 RIPVs). In all individual PVs, lower nadir balloon temperatures (MinTemps) and longer thawing times (ThawTimes) significantly predicted a successful PVI. In addition, greater systolic blood pressure drops following releasing the PV occlusion (SBP-drops) significantly predicted a successful right PV PVI, and longer elapse times during SBP-drops significantly predicted a successful RIPV PVI. Composite parameters incorporating MinTemps and ThawTimes, SBP-drops, and ThawTimes showed the highest area under the curve to predict a successful left PV (0.876 for LSPVs, 0.851 for LIPVs) and right PV (0.927 for RSPVs, 0.980 for RIPVs) PVI, respectively. If the ThawTime (≥ 30s) and SBP-drop (≤ - 21mmHg) cutoff values were achieved for the RIPVs, the positive predictive value was 100%. In contrast, if both criteria were not achieved for the RIPVs, the negative predictive value was 100%. In the second-generation cryoballoon PVI, the MinTemp and ThawTime were significantly associated with acute success for all four PVs. In addition, SBP-drops further improved the accuracy of predicting a successful right PV PVI, especially of the RIPV.