1. Catheter Ablation for the Cure of Atrial Fibrillation Study
CACAF Study
Catheter Ablation for the Cure of Atrial Fibrillation Study
Presented at
American College of Cardiology
Scientific Sessions 2005
Presented by Dr. Emanuele Bertaglia

2. CACAF Study
137 patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation
intolerant to or who have already failed ≥2 antiarrhythmic drugs.
First atrial fibrillation diagnosis at least 6 months prior to enrollment.
Randomized
Catheter Ablation and Antiarrhythmic Drugs
n=68
Antiarrhythmic Drugs
n=69
Endpoint:
Total absence of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence during 12 month follow-up
Presented at ACC Scientific Sessions 2005

3. CACAF Study At Least 1 AF Recurrence
The primary endpoint of atrial arrhythmia free survival was higher in the ablation group compared with the control group (p<0.001), with 44% of the ablation group and 91% of the control group having at least 1 AF recurrence.
Procedure duration was 193 minutes in the ablation group, with fluoroscopy time of 25 minutes.
All patients in the ablation group had right isthmus block and 30% had left isthmus block.
Major complications were similar in the two treatment groups (5.9% for ablation group and 5.8% for control group).
p<0.001
Presented at ACC Scientific Sessions 2005

4. CACAF Study: Summary
Among patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation who have already failed antiarrhythmic drugs, use of catheter ablation was associated with a reduction in atrial fibrillation recurrence at 1 year compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy alone.
Prior studies of ablation in atrial fibrillation have been primarily non-randomized or single center, and success has been defined only in terms of symptom relief. The present study is the first multicenter, randomized trial to show a benefit of preventing atrial fibrillation recurrence with a single session of catheter ablation.
Presented at ACC Scientific Sessions 2005