Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42621123›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature2026

Pulsed field ablation versus thermal ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hassaan Abid, Rithik Khaini, Muhammad Vazaym, Amina Zia Rashid, Bisma Tasawar, Muhammad Jawad, Gaaitri Lohano, Vikash Kumar Karmani, Hussain Abbas, Syed Mohamin Abbas Shah

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In one paragraph

Article in International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

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

10 authors.

Hassaan AbidIndiana University School of Medicine, Muncie, IN, USA.
Rithik KhainiDepartment of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Rafiqi H J Shaheed Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad VazaymLiaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan.
Amina Zia RashidAllama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Bisma TasawarAllama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Muhammad JawadLiaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan.
Gaaitri LohanoLiaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan.
Vikash Kumar KarmaniDepartment of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Rafiqi H J Shaheed Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hussain AbbasDepartment of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Rafiqi H J Shaheed Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Syed Mohamin Abbas ShahKing Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a novel non-thermal ablation modality that may reduce collateral tissue injury compared with conventional thermal ablation. We compared the efficacy, safety, and procedural outcomes of PFA versus thermal ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Methods: We conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261321642). PubMed, Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library were searched through February 2026. The primary outcome was freedom from atrial arrhythmia at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included freedom from arrhythmia off antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs), procedural complications, and procedural metrics. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD). Results: Twenty-three studies comprising 5755 patients (2266 PFA; 3489 thermal ablation) were included. PFA was associated with higher freedom from atrial arrhythmia (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04-1.11; Conclusions: PFA demonstrated modestly improved efficacy in pooled analyses, although randomized trials showed efficacy comparable to thermal ablation. PFA also showed favorable safety trends and improved procedural efficiency, supporting its role as a promising strategy for PAF while highlighting the need for additional long-term randomized studies.

Indexed as

Atrial fibrillationCatheter ablationCryoballoon ablationParoxysmal atrial fibrillationPulsed field ablationRadiofrequency ablation

Identifiers

PMID42621123
PMCPMC13486879

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.