Clinical, Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a supraventricular arrhythmia and the most common heart rhythm disorder in the adult population worldwide with an estimated prevalence of 2% to 4% of the population. Cases of AF have shown an increasing trend in recent decades, while its frequency is expected to rise even more. Given the significant impact on patients’ quality of life, as well as its major complications -including thromboembolic events- effective rhythm control strategies other than antiarrhythmic medication have emerged, with catheter ablation (CA) being the cornerstone of these. During recent years, CA has been upgraded into first-line treatment for selected patients. However, complications do exist and arrhythmia-free survival is not always warranted. The need to better identify patients more suitable for this specific therapeutic measure is crucial in improving outcomes and preventing arrhythmia recurrences. This review aims to present currently identified predictors of AF recurrence after catheter ablation based on clinical characteristics, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters, in an era of increasing interventional rhythm control approaches for the management of AF.