Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42426602›Full record

SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2026

Effectiveness and safety of left atrial appendage electrical isolation in managing persistent atrial fibrillation: an updated meta-analysis of 3425 patients.

Ahmed Elshahat, Ahmed Diaa, Rehab Adel Diab, Shrouk Ramadan, Youssef Barakat, Mohamed Ismail Elnady, Amr Arafa, Ahmed Mansour, Ahmed Sobhy, Ahmed Elmorsy Mohamed and 4 more

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

14 authors.

Ahmed ElshahatFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed DiaaFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Rehab Adel DiabFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Shrouk RamadanFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Youssef BarakatFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed Ismail ElnadyFaculty of Medicine, Kafr Elsheikh University, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt.
Amr ArafaFaculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Ahmed MansourFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. ahmedmansourama2000@gmail.com.
Ahmed SobhyFaculty of Medicine, Kafr Elsheikh University, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt.
Ahmed Elmorsy MohamedFaculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
Mohamed Yasser ElnaggarFaculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Ahmed Yasser ShabanDepartment of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Salwa GharibDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
Ahmed AbdelazizFaculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimAtrial fibrillation (AF) is a substantial public health disorder associated with heightened morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has limited efficacy in persistent AF (PAF), indicating additional strategies such as left atrial appendage electrical isolation (LAAEI). This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of LAAEI in managing PAF.

methodsAn extensive search of the literature was carried out on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. We included all the eligible studies comparing LAAEI plus PVI to PVI alone in managing PAF. Our primary endpoint was the incidence of recurrent atrial arrhythmia. Dichotomous data were pooled as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

resultsTwelve studies involving 3,425 patients were included in our meta-analysis. LAAEI significantly reduced the incidence of recurrent atrial arrhythmia (RR = 0.57, 95% CI: [0.54 to 0.75], P = 0.001). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis focusing on the utilized anatomical approach showed that the ostial approach favored the LAAEI compared to the control group in reducing the incidence of recurrent atrial arrhythmias, while the linear approach did not favor either of the two groups. The radiofrequency strategy favored the LAAEI group rather than the control group, while the cryoballoon ablation and the LARIAT device did not prefer either of the two groups.

conclusionLAAEI plus PVI is a promising strategy when compared to PVI alone to reduce the incidence of recurrent atrial arrhythmia in patients with PAF.

Indexed as

Atrial AppendageAtrial FibrillationCatheter AblationLeft Atrial Appendage ClosurePulmonary VeinsAction PotentialsAgedFemaleHeart RateHumansMaleMiddle AgedRecurrenceRisk FactorsTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAtrial fibrillationCatheter ablationLAAEILeft atrial appendagePersistent AF

Identifiers

PMID42426602
PMCPMC13352895

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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.