The Association between Diagnosis-to-Ablation Time and the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is superior to antiarrhythmic drugs in maintaining sinus rhythm. Novel evidence suggests that increasing the time between the first diagnosis of AF and ablation, or diagnosis-to-ablation time (DAT), is a predictor for AF recurrence post-ablation. Purpose: Our primary objective was to investigate the relationship between DAT and AF recurrence after a first ablation. Methods: Patients with AF who underwent CA in our center were enrolled consecutively, and a retrospective analysis was performed. DAT was treated as a continuous variable and reported as a median for the group with recurrence and the group without recurrence. DAT was also considered as a categorical variable and patients were stratified into three categories: DAT < 1 year, DAT < 2 years, and DAT < 4 years. Results: The cohort included 107 patients, with a mean age of 54.3 ± 11.7 years. Mean DAT was significantly longer in those with AF recurrence: 4.9(3.06) years versus 3.99(3.5) (p = 0.04). The Kaplan–Meier curve revealed a higher likelihood of AF-free status over time for patients with DAT < 2 years compared to those with DAT > 2 years (p = 0.04). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that left atrial volume index (LAVI), obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and DAT > 2 years were independently associated with AF recurrence after a single AF ablation procedure (p = 0.007, p = 0.02, and p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusion: A shorter duration between the first AF diagnosis and AF ablation is associated with an increased likelihood of procedural success after a single AF ablation procedure.