Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34556757›Full record

Observational studyScientific reports2021

Brain magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive alterations after ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Natsuko Kato, Kanako Muraga, Yoshinori Hirata, Akihiro Shindo, Keita Matsuura, Yuichiro Ii, Mariko Shiga, Ken-Ichi Tabei, Masayuki Satoh, Satoshi Fujita and 8 more

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Impact of catheter ablation versus medical therapy on cognitive function in atrial fibrillation: a systematic review.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2022
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Brazilian Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines - 2025.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2025
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. 2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.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 · 2024
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Silent cerebral lesions following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a state-of-the-art review.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 · 2023
    Review
  17. Association between heart and dementia… keep an eye on the left atrium.European heart journal supplements : journal of the European Society of Cardiology · 2022
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Natsuko Kato *Department of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan. nkato27@med.mie-u.ac.jp.
Kanako Muraga *Department of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Yoshinori HirataDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Akihiro ShindoDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Keita MatsuuraDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Yuichiro IiDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Mariko ShigaDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Ken-Ichi TabeiDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Masayuki SatohDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Satoshi FujitaDepartment of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Tomoyuki FukumaDepartment of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Yoshihiko KagawaDepartment of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Eitaro FujiiDepartment of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Maki UminoDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Masayuki MaedaDepartment of Neuroradiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Hajime SakumaDepartment of Radiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Masaaki ItoDepartment of Cardiology and Nephrology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
Hidekazu TomimotoDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
Mie University · JPNippon Medical School · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Catheter ablation is an important non-pharmacological intervention for atrial fibrillation (AF), but its effect on the incidence of asymptomatic cerebral emboli and long-term effects on cognitive function remain unknown. We prospectively enrolled 101 patients who underwent AF ablation. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (72 patients) and neuropsychological assessments (66 patients) were performed 1-3 days (baseline) and 6 months after ablation. Immediately after ablation, diffusion-weighted MRI and 3-dimensional double inversion recovery (3D-DIR) detected embolic microinfarctions in 63 patients (87.5%) and 62 patients (86.1%), respectively. After 6 months, DIR lesions disappeared in 41 patients. Microbleeds (MBs) increased by 17%, and 65% of the de novo MBs were exactly at the same location as the microinfarctions. Average Mini-Mental State Examination scores improved from 27.9 ± 2.4 to 28.5 ± 1.7 (p = 0.037), and detailed neuropsychological assessment scores showed improvement in memory, constructional, and frontal lobe functions. Ejection fraction, left atrial volume index and brain natriuretic peptide level improved from baseline to 3-6 months after ablation. Despite incidental microemboli, cognitive function was preserved 6 months after ablation.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAged, 80 and overAsymptomatic DiseasesAtrial FibrillationBrainCatheter AblationCognitionCognitive DysfunctionDiffusion Magnetic Resonance ImagingFemaleHumansIntracranial EmbolismMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID34556757
PMCPMC8460624
OpenAlexW3199958070

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.