Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary vein isolation is the primary goal in treating patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using catheter ablation. This study's purpose is a comparative assessment of the efficacy and safety of two strategies for catheter treatment in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 127 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation during the last six months before inclusion in the study. The average follow-up period was 24 months. RESULTS: The primary efficacy endpoint (death, cerebrovascular event, or serious complications associated with treatment) occurred in 15 patients in the cryoballoon ablation group and 14 patients in the radiofrequency ablation group. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 30% and 28%, and the risk ratio 0.96 and 95% of the confidence interval. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment in patients with persistent atria fibrillation, using catheter ablation with contact force control catheter treatment with the pulmonary vein isolation, was more efficient.