https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-025-02625-4
1Evangelisches Krankenhaus Düsseldorf Klinik für Kardiologie Düsseldorf, Deutschland; 2Universitätsklinikum Münster Klinik für Kardiologie II - Rhythmologie Münster, Deutschland; 3Asklepios Klinik St. Georg Kardiologie & internistische Intensivmedizin Hamburg, Deutschland; 4Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe gGmbH Med. IV, Schwerpunkt Kardiologie, Angiologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin Karlsruhe, Deutschland; 5Universitäres Herz- und Gefäßzentrum Hamburg Klinik für Kardiologie mit Schwerpunkt Elektrophysiologie Hamburg, Deutschland; 6Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf Klinik für Kardiologie Hamburg, Deutschland; 7Universitäres Herz- und Gefäßzentrum Hamburg Klinik für Kardiologie Hamburg, Deutschland
Aim: Here, we aimed to analyze the prevalence of stroke and all-cause death in patients with AT.
Methods: SATELLITE (Systematic Assessment of Treatment Effectiveness for Long-Term Management of Stable Atrial Tachycardia in Inpatient and Outpatient Environments) is a multicenter observational registry including patients undergoing catheter ablation or electrocardioversion for AT. In the present analysis, the prevalence of stroke and all-cause death in patients with AT as well as the characteristics of affected patients were assessed. Data acquisition started at the time of AT ablation or electrocardioversion.
Results: Among 1032 patients with AT (mean age 64.3±14.6 years, 53.5% male), 10 (1.0%) developed a stroke occurring 2.3±2.4 years (range 75–3224 days) after AT ablation or electrocardioversion (0.45 events/100 patient-years). They had a CHA2DS2-VA score of 2 (IQR 1–4) and were mostly female (6/10 patients). Among these patients, 5/10 had simultaneously diagnosed atrial fibrillation, 2/10 any structural heart disease and 5/10 underwent prior cardiac interventions (Fig. A). During catheter ablation, AT were left-sided in the majority of patients who developed a stroke (87.5%). Among all 1032 patients, 21 (2.0%) died mainly due to non-cardiac reasons (72.7%). This occurred 2.4±1.3 years (range 306–2271 days) after AT ablation or electrocardioversion (0.9 events/100 patient-years). Among these patients, 13/21 were female, 12/21 had atrial fibrillation, 5/21 had any structural heart disease and 12/21 underwent prior cardiac interventions (Fig. B).
Conclusion: Whereas the prevalence of stroke in patients with AT is low, the prevalence of all-cause death mainly due to non-cardiac reasons underlines the frequent multimorbidity of this cohort which should be considered especially for planning of ablation procedures.
Figure: Prevalence of stroke and mortality in patients with atrial tachycardia.