Blood lipid levels and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation: a prospective study

Purpose The relation between dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation (AF) development remains controversial. We conducted a prospective study to investigate the association of lipids with the risk of recurrence of AF after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Methods This study enrolled 287 consecutive patients who underwent initial circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA). Fasting levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were measured at baseline before ablation. Patients were classified according to lipid quartiles. AF recurrence was confirmed by 48-h electrocardiograms at follow-up visits. Results A total of 71 patients (24.7%) experienced AF recurrence during 3 to 12 months after ablation. By univariate Cox regression survival analysis, TC (HR, 0.63; 95%CI, 0.48–0.82), LDL-C (HR, 0.61; 95%CI, 0.44–0.84), non-paroxysmal AF type (HR, 2.56; 95%CI, 1.52–4.21), and left atrial diameter (HR, 2.18; 95%CI, 1.46–3.24) were significantly associated with AF recurrence. By multivariate Cox regression survival analysis, lower quartiles of TC (HR, 3.66; 95%CI, 1.56–8.56) and LDL-C (HR, 2.28; 95%CI 1.09–4.77) were associated with higher risk of AF recurrence compared with the highest quartiles. After adjustment by sex, lower TC (HR, 11.70; 95%CI, 2.79–49.13) and LDL-C (HR, 11.00; 95%CI, 2.77–43.72) levels were associated with the recurrence of AF in women, but not in men. HDL-C and TG levels showed no association with AF recurrence in both genders. Conclusions TC and LDL-C levels were negatively correlated with AF recurrence after RFCA in women. HDL-C and TG were not independently associated with AF recurrence in both genders.