{
  "abstract": "Background: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with AF and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) compared with medical therapy (GDMT) alone. Outcomes in patients with preserved ejection fraction remain less clearly defined. This study compared long-term outcomes of catheter ablation in patients with AF and heart failure (HF) across the spectrum of ejection fraction using real-world data.\n\nMethods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the U.S. Collaborative Network in TriNetX to identify adults with AF and HF between September 2018 and September 2024. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 12,492 patients with HFpEF and AF and 38,150 patients with HFrEF were included. The primary endpoint was a composite including all-cause mortality, left-ventricular-assist device implantation, or heart transplantation. Secondary endpoints included hospitalization, stroke, and antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) use. Outcomes were compared between patients receiving ablation and GDMT versus GDMT alone.\n\nResults: Over a mean follow-up of 973 days (HFpEF) and 926 days (HFrEF), AF ablation was associated with lower risks of the primary endpoint and mortality (HFpEF: hazard ratio (HR) 0.29; HFrEF: HR 0.40; all p < 0.001), as well as reduced hospitalization (HFpEF: HR 0.81; HFrEF: HR 0.75; all p < 0.001) and stroke (HFpEF: HR 0.86, p = 0.025; HFrEF: HR 0.76, p < 0.001). Patients that received ablation had more frequent AAD use despite greater cardioversion rates (HFpEF: HR 1.37; HFrEF: HR 1.08, all p < 0.001).\n\nConclusion: Catheter ablation conferred comparable reductions in mortality, advanced HF therapies, stroke, and hospitalization in both HFpEF and HFrEF patients.\n\nGraphical abstract:\n\nSupplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-026-02349-z.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Tulane Research Innovation for Arrhythmia Discovery, New Orleans, LA USA",
    "Department of Electrophysiology, Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, Ruhr University Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany",
    "Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 40130 USA"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Maximilian Moersdorf"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Qussay Marashly"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Christian Massad"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yara Menassa"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Han Feng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Michel Abou-Khalil"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mohammad Montaser Atasi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alex El Darzi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Carlo El Khoury"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Philipp Sommer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Amitabh C Pandey"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Christian Sohns"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Nassir Marrouche"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ky6kx2pt5cgn.bib",
  "cited_by": 2,
  "doi": "10.1007/s10840-026-02349-z",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13739959/",
  "id": "7ky6kx2pt5cgn",
  "issns": [
    "1383-875X",
    "1572-8595"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-026-02349-z",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2705|Atrial Fibrillation Management and Outcomes"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7162435594",
  "pdf_url": "https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10840-026-02349-z.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13739959",
  "pmid": "42189455",
  "published": "2026-05-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ky6kx2pt5cgn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T12:21:18Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13739959",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-026-02349-z"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2705|Atrial Fibrillation Management and Outcomes",
      "subfield": "cardiovascular"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure - preserved and reduced ejection fraction - real world evidence",
  "title_text": "Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure - preserved and reduced ejection fraction - real world evidence",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T12:21:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ky6kx2pt5cgn",
  "venue": "Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology",
  "versions": []
}