A real-world analysis among the Italian population has been carried out to estimate the number of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients undergoing catheter ablation and to evaluate their clinical outcome and economic burden. A retrospective analysis on administrative Italian databases has been performed. Between January 2011 and December 2019, all patients diagnosed with AF were considered and those undergoing catheter ablation were identified. Overall, 3084 (3.54%) of AF patients with at least one catheter ablation were included (mean age 63.2, 67.3% males). A significant decrease in the use of AF-related medications and in hospitalizations, mainly related to AF and heart failure, was observed during the 3-year post-ablation period. The average total cost per patient during the 1-year before ablation period was significantly higher compared to the 1-year post-ablation cost (EUR 5248 vs. 4008, respectively; p < 0.001). After propensity score matching, the overall mortality of patients who underwent ablation was significantly lower compared to that assessed in patients not treated with the procedure (9.386/1000 vs. 23.032/1000 person-year, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, the mean total costs were significantly higher in patients who did not undergo ablation compared to those who received ablation (EUR 5516 vs. 4008, respectively; p < 0.001). This real-world data analysis shows that in Italy, although catheter ablation is performed in a minority of AF patients, it is associated with significantly better post-procedure clinical outcomes and a significant reduction in healthcare-related costs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.