SummaryRadiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in the treatment of AF is currently based on pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Some studies have investigated the efficacy of empiric SVC isolation (SVCI) in addition to conventional PVI in order to improve success rates and reduce recurrence rates. However, the results of the studies have given conflicting data.We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the empiric SVCI compared with conventional SVCI for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) ablation.We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database from the period January 1986 to August 2016 and identified qualified studies. The primary clinical outcome was the recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmias, and the secondary clinical outcomes were procedure time, fluoroscopy time, and complications.We identified 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one nonrandomized, observational study (nROS) involving 245 patients with empiric SVCI and 269 patients with conventional SVCI. The empiric SVCI group had a lower recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia after a single procedure compared with the conventional SVCI group (16.7% versus 29.4%, OR: 0.48, 95%CI: 0.31 to 0.74, P = 0.0009). There was no significant difference in fluoroscopic time (P = 0.22), procedure time (P = 0.32), or clinical complications (P = 0.33) between the two groups.Empiric SVCI is more effective than conventional SVCI in terms of the long-term outcomes of PAF patients after a single PVI procedure, with the same fluoroscopic time, procedure time, and clinical complications. (Int Heart J 2017; 58: 500-505) Key words: Arrhythmia, Pulmonary vein, Atrial fibrillation, Meta R adiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is an effective treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). At present, RFCA in the treatment of AF is based on pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), whether it is segmental PVI or circumferential PVI.1,2) AF can be also initiated by nonpulmonary vein ectopic beats such as in the superior vena cava (SVC), coronary sinus ostium, left atrial posterior wall, crista terminalis, and ligament of Marshall.3) Despite initial positive results of the PVI strategy, RFCA that targeted the pulmonary vein alone showed a significant recurrence rate after the first procedure with the reconnection of the pulmonary vein or with the emergence of non-PV ectopic foci including the SVC.3-5) Some researchers have investigated the efficacy of empiric SVC isolation (SVCI) in addition to conventional SVCI (performing SVCI only for patients who have triggers in the SVC) 6) in order to improve success rates and reduce recurrence rates in patients with AF. 7-9) However, some studies also have provided conflicting data indicating that there was no statistical significance for these two strategies after the initial AF ablation.10,11) Therefore, we believed a meta-analysis of published data was needed to assess the efficacy of empiric isolation and conventional isolation of SVC in patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF).