Table 1.
Demographic and Clinical Data for Sample
| Patient characteristics |
N (350) |
Ablation as first Therapy (n=126) |
Ablation not first therapy (n=224) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 41±17 | 38±18 | 42±17 | 0.01 |
| Women, n (%) | 216 (62) | 68 (54) | 148 (66) | 0.03 |
| Medical history | ||||
| Hypertension, n (%) | 103 (29) | 31 (25) | 72 (32) | 0.14 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 25 (7) | 9 (7) | 16 (7) | 1.0 |
| Heart failure, n (%) | 2 (1) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.4) | 0.8 |
| Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 4 (1) | 2 (1.6) | 2 (0.9) | 0.56 |
| Obesity, n (%) | 57 (16) | 19 (15) | 38 (17) | 0.63 |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction, n (SD) | 67±10 | 66±14 | 68±7 | 0.43 |
| Arrhtythmia history | ||||
| ECG pre‐excitation, n (%) | 108 (31) | 49 (39) | 59 (27) | 0.02 |
| Palpitation, n (%) | 322 (92) | 110 (87) | 212 (95) | 0.03 |
| Syncope, n (%) | 17 (5) | 7 (6) | 10 (5) | 0.65 |
| Dyspnea, n (%) | 120 (34) | 31 (25) | 89 (40) | 0.005 |
| Chest disconfort, n (%) | 112 (32) | 23 (18) | 89 (40) | <0.001 |
| Medications before ablation, n (IQR) | 1.0 (0–2) | 1.0 (0–1) | 1.0 (1–2) | <0.001 |
| Unsatisfactory symptom control with medication, n (%) | 150 (43) | 48 (38) | 102 (46) | 0.18 |
| Average number of concomitant symptoms, n (IQR) | 2 (1–2) | 1 (1–2) | 2 (1–2) | <0.001 |
| Time between symptoms and ablation (mo), n (IQR) | 60 (24–168) | 36 (6–108) | 72 (35–183) | <0.001 |
| Life‐long emergency room evaluations, n (IQR) | 3 (1–8) | 2 (0–4) | 3 (1–10) | <0.001 |
| Number of symptoms in the month prior ablation, n (IQR) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | 0.37 |
| Electrical cardioversions, n (SD) | 0.12±0.4 | 0.13±0.38 | 0.12±0.41 | 0.87 |
These variables were included in the univariate model and those that reached statistical significance (P<0.10) were included in the multivariate model. ECV indicates electrical cardioversion. Unsatisfactory symptom control with medication: patients who remained symptomatic despite antiarrhythmic treatment. Values are expressed in absolute numbers (n), percentages (%), mean±SD, median, and interquartile range (IQR).