Measurement of Serum Ultra-Sensitive Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels to Determine the Risk for Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Following Catheter Ablation in 575 Patients from a Single Center

BACKGROUND: Thyroid dysfunction has been proved to contribute to the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF), leading to the development of AF in animal models and clinical populations. This single-center study investigated the relationship between ultra-sensitive thyroid-stimulating hormone (uTSH) levels and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in 575 hospitalized patients who had undergone catheter ablation. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study enrolled 575 hospitalized patients with AF who needed catheter ablation, 105 were non-first catheter ablation patients, and 470 were first catheter ablation (CA) patients. Before ablation, fasting biochemical indexes, including uTSH, were detected. Patients were classified according to uTSH quartile. The presence of AF was confirmed by 12-lead electrocardiogram or 24-h ambulatory electrocardiogram. RESULTS: A total of 105 (18.44%) patients had undergone catheter ablation of AF twice or more. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed no significant relationship between uTSH and AF recurrence (HR, 1.047; 95% CI 0.986–1.111; P=1.127). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that compared with low quartiles (Q1 OR, 0.71, 95% CI: 0.35–1.46; P=0.36; Q2 OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.36–1.39; P=0.31;Q3 OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.09–0.53; P=0.001), high quartiles of uTSH had a higher risk of AF recurrence. After adjusting for sex, the risk of AF recurrence in the high quartile uTSH was higher in males than in the low quartile (Q1 OR, 0.60, 95% CI: 0.29–1.26; P=0.18;Q2 OR, 0.52, 95% CI, 0.24–1.13; P=0.09;Q3 OR, 0.42, 95% CI, 0.18–0.94; P=0.03), but not in women. CONCLUSIONS: Serum TSH levels in male patients treated for AF with cardiac ablation were significantly associated with AF recurrence.