Observational studyEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2019
Outcomes of cryoballoon or radiofrequency ablation in symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation.
Observational study in Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01360008 (FREEZE Cohort Study), which is not on this map. Cited by 65 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
FREEZE Cohort Study
Who cites it
65 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 126 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cryoballoon versus radiofrequency ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: an updated systematic review and meta‑analysis.European journal of medical research · 2025Pooled it
- Esophageal injury, perforation, and fistula formation following atrial fibrillation ablation.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2024Pooled it
- Comparison of cryoballoon and radiofrequency ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2023Pooled it
- Impact of cryoballoon application abortion due to phrenic nerve injury on reconnection rates: a YETI subgroup analysis.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2023Trial
- Cryoballoon vs. radiofrequency catheter ablation: insights from NOrwegian randomized study of PERSistent Atrial Fibrillation (NO-PERSAF study).Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2022Trial
- Impact of Routine Postoperative Care Versus Nurse-Led Lifestyle Interventions on Patient Outcomes After Radiofrequency Ablation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingTrial
- Real word data with no evidence for additional left atrial substrate modification at first PVI procedure in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation - Results from the German Ablation registry.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2026Article
- Clinical implementation of 3D deep learning techniques in predicting touch-up lesions for atrial fibrillation patients undergoing cryoablation.International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature · 2026Article
- Association between non-ablated left atrial surface area and rhythm outcome in patients treated with cryoballoon and radiofrequency ablation.Heart rhythm O2 · 2026Article
- The "sentinel stroke": catheter ablation outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation detected after stroke.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
- Clinical comparison of cryoballoon ablation and radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
- Radiation safety in catheter ablation: clinical value of real-time operator dosimetry.Heart and vessels · 2025Article
- Pulsed-Field Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in EU-PORIA Registry.Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology · 2025Article
- Comparative analysis of cryoballoon versus radiofrequency catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction.International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature · 2025Article
- Long-term outcomes of cryoballoon versus robotic magnetic navigation guided radiofrequency ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Comparison of Arctic Front Advance Pro and POLARx cryoballoons for ablation therapy of atrial fibrillation: an intraprocedural analysis.Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · 2025Article
- Evaluation of the novel multi-points surface thermometry cryoballoon in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Article
- Phrenic nerve palsy during cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation: a minor complication or a wolf in sheep's clothing? Insights on late arrhythmia recurrences from a propensity score-matched analysis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Article
- Impact of Body Mass Index on the Outcomes of Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.Clinics and practice · 2024Article
- Invasive strategies for rhythm control of atrial fibrillation: a narrative review.Journal of Yeungnam medical science · 2024Article
5 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
20 authors at 12 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) compared with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for symptomatic paroxysmal or drug-refractory persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND
resultsProspective cluster cohort study in experienced CBA and RFA centres. Primary endpoint was 'atrial arrhythmia recurrence', secondary endpoints were as follows: procedural results, safety, and clinical course. A total of 4189 patients were included: CBA 2329 (55.6%) and RFA 1860 (44.4%). Cryoballoon ablation population was younger, with fewer comorbidities. Procedure time was longer in the RFA group (P = 0.01). Radiation exposure was 2487 (CBA) and 1792 cGycm2 (RFA) (P < 0.001). Follow-up duration was 441 (CBA) and 511 days (RFA) (P < 0.0001). Primary endpoint occurred in 30.7% (CBA) and 39.4% patients (RFA) [adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-1.04; P = 0.12). In paroxysmal AF, CBA resulted in a lower risk of recurrence (adjHR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64-0.99; P = 0.047). In persistent AF, the primary outcome was not different between groups. Major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event rates were 1.0% (CBA) and 2.8% (RFA) (adjHR 0.53, 95% CI 0.26-1.10; P = 0.088). Re-ablations (adjHR 0.46, 95% CI 0.34-0.61; P < 0.0001) and adverse events during follow-up (adjHR 0.64, 95% CI 0.48-0.88; P = 0.005) were less common after CBA. Higher rehospitalization rates with RFA were caused by re-ablations.
conclusionsThe primary endpoint did not differ between CBA and RFA. Cryoballoon ablation was completed rapidly; the radiation exposure was greater. Rehospitalization due to re-ablations and adverse events during follow-up were observed significantly less frequently after CBA than after RFA. Subgroup analysis suggested a lower risk of recurrence after CBA in paroxysmal AF.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01360008), https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01360008.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.