Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in elderly and very elderly patients: safety, outcomes, and quality of life

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) risk increases with age. We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation in the older population. Methods All patients undergoing AF ablation (2013–2021) at our institution were enrolled in a prospectively maintained registry. The primary endpoint was AF recurrence. Patients were divided into 3 groups: non-elderly ( 75 years). Patient surveys at baseline and during follow-up were used to calculate quality of life (QoL) metrics: the AF severity score as well as the AF burden. Results A total of 7020 patients were included (42% non-elderly, 42% elderly, and 16% very elderly). Periprocedural major complications were low (