Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39960856›Full record

ReviewEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2025

Persistent atrial fibrillation ablation: glimpsing the light ahead?

Xiaofeng Hu, Luigi Di Biase, Xumin Hou, Xu Liu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review 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, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Indirect treatment comparison of two pulsed field ablation systems for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2026
    Trial
  2. Personalized pulmonary vein isolation guided by left atrial wall thickness for persistent atrial fibrillation ablation: the PeAF-by-LAWT randomized trial.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 · 2025
    Trial
  3. Article
  4. Utility of slow conduction velocity area guided ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
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

4 authors.

Xiaofeng HuDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.241 West Huaihai Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6771-3337
Luigi Di BiaseDepartment of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6508-4047
Xumin HouDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.241 West Huaihai Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200030, China.
Xu LiuDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.241 West Huaihai Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200030, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3121-985X

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82370355
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Current ablation strategies for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remain suboptimal, with success rates around 50%. Pulmonary vein isolation serves as the cornerstone of ablation, yet adjunctive strategies have shown inconsistent results in randomized controlled trials. This review critically examines the outcomes and limitations of these approaches while identifying key barriers to success, including incomplete understanding of AF mechanisms, patient heterogeneity, technical challenges in achieving durable lesions, and the absence of standardized procedural endpoints. A novel electro-anatomically guided ablation protocol is proposed, integrating advanced mapping techniques and procedural endpoints aimed at achieving AF termination. Furthermore, it discusses emerging technologies such as pulsed field ablation, which hold promise for enhancing safety and long-term outcomes. These insights provide a framework for future research and the optimization of persistent AF ablation strategies.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationCatheter AblationPulmonary VeinsAction PotentialsElectrophysiologic Techniques, CardiacHeart RateHumansTreatment OutcomeAblation strategiesElectro-anatomical mappingPersistent atrial fibrillationPulse field ablation

Identifiers

PMID39960856
PMCPMC12187518

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.