ArticleHeart rhythm O22020
Decreased anxiety after catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is associated with augmented parasympathetic reactivity to stress.
Article in Heart rhythm O2, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Depression and anxiety disorders in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing a pulmonary vein isolation: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2026Pooled it
- Association between catheter ablation and psychiatric disorder risk in adults with atrial fibrillation: a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
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2 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundPsychological improvement after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported, but its mechanism is unclear.
objectiveThis study aimed to clarify the relationship between cardiac autonomic modification and psychological changes after catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF (PAF).
methodsThirty-five consecutive patients (60.5 ± 11.9 years; male, n = 24) with PAF treated by catheter ablation were enrolled. Autonomic activity and reactivity to stress and psychological status were measured before (baseline) and at 1 and 3 months after ablation. We assessed autonomic activity and reactivity to stress by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) at rest (Rest), and during (Task) and after (After) the execution of a task and assessed relationships between HRV parameters and psychological changes using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS).
resultsThe STAI state and trait scores significantly decreased at 3 months compared with baseline, whereas SDS scores essentially remained unchanged. The high-frequency (HF) response index (Task/Rest) and HF recovery index (After/Rest) were significantly higher than baseline at 3 months (0.40 [0.29-0.90] vs 1.30 [0.64-2.18],
conclusionsSome augmentation of parasympathetic reactivity to stress correlated with reduced anxiety, implying that cardiac autonomic modification plays roles in psychological improvement after catheter ablation for AF.
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