The Efficacy of Left Atrial vs Biatrial Cardioneuroablation in Patients With Vasovagal Syncope: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Abstract

Background: Cardioneuroablation has been proposed to be effective in patients with vasovagal syncope, whereas the preferred ablation strategy is undetermined.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the preferred ablation strategy of cardioneuroablation between the left atrial (LA) and the bilateral atrial (BiA) approach.

Methods: This study was a prospective randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of 2 ablation strategies for patients with vasovagal syncope. The participants were randomly assigned to either the LA or BiA ganglion plexus ablation group in a 1:1 ratio.

Results: Eighty participants (37 men [46.2%]; age 38 ±16 years) were enrolled, with 40 participants in each group. The efficacy was 87.5% in the LA group (95% CI: 76.8 to 98.2%) and 90% (95% CI: 80.7 to 99.7%) in the BiA group (P = 0.723; P for noninferiority = 0.001). Compared to the BiA group, LA group reduced the average procedure time by 13 minutes (95% CI: 6-20 minutes), the average x-ray dosage by 5.7 mGy (95% CI: 2.1-9.3 mGy), the average ablation lesions by 4 (95% CI: 2-6), and ablation time by 125 seconds (95% CI: 60-190 seconds). No significant difference was observed in presyncope recurrence rate (15% vs 10%; P = 0.498), quality of life (78.7 ± 13.6 vs 80.9 ± 10.6; P = 0.417), mean heart rate (79 ± 11 vs 77 ± 9; P = 0.391), and response to head-up tilt test (57.1% vs 62.2%; P = 0.664) between groups at 12 months.

Conclusions: The LA approach's efficacy was noninferior to the BiA approach, whereas the LA approach showed the added benefit of reduced procedure time, a smaller ablation lesion, and smaller x-ray dosage. (Different Catheter Ablation Strategy in Vasovagal Syncope; NCT05573178).