Impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers on the long-term outcome after pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVES: The effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) on the long-term outcome after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is unknown.

METHODS: This matched-pair study included 102 patients with PAF treated with ACE-I or ARBs (group 1) and 102 control subjects (group 2) after standardized PVI. Tele-ECG recorders were used to detect the end point of the first PAF recurrence after a 3-month blanking period.

RESULTS: Median follow-up was 2.1 years (range 0.3-6.3). In group 1, 51 (50%) patients suffered recurrences, with a mean time to recurrence of 3.2 years (95% CI 2.6-3.8). In group 2, 67 (65.7%) patients presented PAF after a mean period of 2.2 years (95% CI 1.7-2.8; p = 0.009). A second ablation was performed in 31 (50%) patients from the treatment group and in 48 (66.7%) patients from the control group (p = 0.02). Multivariate Cox analysis showed treatment with ACE-I and ARBs to be the only significant predictor of a reduced recurrence rate (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.32-0.75).

CONCLUSION: ACE-I and ARBs were effective for the preservation of sinus rhythm after PAF ablation, and they reduced the reablation rate.