The impact of left common pulmonary vein on cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation. A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Conflicting results regarding the impact of left common pulmonary vein (LCPV) on clinical outcome of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation with cryoballoon technology have been reported. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed and Cochrane library for articles that compared the arrhythmia recurrence rate after cryoballoon ablation between patients with normal pattern PVs and patients with LCPV. Studies of first ablation for persistent and paroxysmal AF using the 28 mm Arctic Front Advance, Medtronic cryoballoon (CB-A) reporting clinical success rates at a mean follow-up of ≥12 months were included. Data were analyzed by applying a random effects model. RESULTS: A total of 5 studies with a total of 1178 patients met our predefined inclusion criteria. After a mean follow-up of 18.4 months, the overall success rate of CB-A ablation among patients with persistent and paroxysmal AF was 57%; in the LCPV group the success rate was 46% and in the normal anatomical pattern group it was 61%. No significant heterogeneity was noted among the studies (I(2) = 35.8%; Q (df = 3) = 6.23 p-value = 0.18). Arrhythmia recurrence after CB-A ablation was not statistically significant between the two groups (LogOR 0.24; 95% CI [-0.16-0.63]; p-value = 0.23). No significant difference in PNI was observed between the two groups (p-value = 0.693). CONCLUSION: The presence of LCPV does not affect the long-term outcome of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation ablation with 28 mm CB-A compared to normal left PVs pattern.