Influence of Clinical Parameters and Anticoagulation on Intraprocedural Cerebral Microembolic Signals during Pulmonary Vein Isolation

OBJECTIVE: We had the objective to determine the impact of clinical parameters and anticoagulation status on cerebral microembolic signals (MES) during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF). BACKGROUND: Thromboembolism and stroke are the most feared complications of PVI. MES can help to evaluate embolic burden. It is unknown whether clinical parameters have an impact on embolic risk during PVI. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis we investigated the impact of clinical parameters, including the CHADS(2)- and CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc-score, pulmonary vein variants and echocardiographic parameters on MES rates in patients that underwent PVI using three different ablation approaches (radiofrequency ablation (iRF), pulmonary vein ablation catheter (PVAC) with deactivated electrode pair 1 or 5 (PVAC-red) or PVAC without deactivation (PVAC-all). RESULTS: 118 AF patients (61±12 years) were included between 2011 and 2013 (Median: 489 MES during PVI). Patients were more likely to have more MES (within 4(th) quartile) with the PVAC-all approach (60.7% vs. 25.0% (iRF) vs. 14.3% (PVAC-red) respectively (p<0.001). Patients with oral anticoagulation (OAC) pre-ablation were more likely to have lower MES-counts (1(st)-3(rd) quartile); (65.6% vs. 35.7%; p = 0.005). Additionally, patients with lower MES counts (1(st)-3(rd) quartile) had significantly higher INR values than those in the 4(th) quartile (1.78 vs. 1.09; p = 0.029). 2 patients developed a potentially thromboembolic event during the procedure. CONCLUSION: Clinical predictors of cerebral emboli and stroke do not correlate with cerebral embolic burden during PVI. Pre-ablation OAC and increased INR values correlate with decreased MES-rates. Therefore, it might be beneficial to perform PVI with pre-ablation anticoagulation even in low risk patients.