Effects Of Radiofrequency Ablation On Cognitive Function Of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Objective This study investigated the characteristics of cognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation and Effects of radiofrequency ablation on cognitive function of patients with atrial fibrillation.Methods We choose60patients with atrial fibrillation in2rd Xiangya hospital from January2013to January2014.30patients underwent radiofrequency ablation, another30cases deal with medication. Radiofrequency ablation group contains21men and9women, the average age is55.47±9.04.28cases are in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and2cases are in persistent atrial fibrillation. The medicine group contains17men and13women, the average age is58.87±8.83.13cases is in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and6cases is in persistent AF and11in permanent AF. We evaluate patients condition with the Montreal Cognitive Functioning Scale (MoCA) of the two groups before the treatment and at the3rd month after treatment.Results (1) The MoCA total score of60cases of patients with atrial fibrillation is24.42±4.02, which is less than26. The MoCA total score of31cases is less than26, of which13cases are from RFA group and the other18cases from the drug treatment group. The MoCA total score of patients with atrial fibrillation is negatively correlated with age, and positively correlated with years of education.(2) After3months of treatment, delayed recall in the RFA group improved significantly compared with the preoperative(p<0.05), but the visuospatial/executive function, naming, attention, language, abstract and orientation and MoCA total score had no significant difference compared with the preoperative (p>0.05).(3) Each item of MoCA in drug group, including the visuospatial/executive function, naming, attention, language, abstract and orientation, delayed recall and the total all had no difference with the group before treatment (p>0.05).(4) There is no significant difference effect on cognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation between RFA group and the drug-treatment group (p>0.05).Conclusions (1) Cognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation is reduced in this study. Age, educational level and duration of atrial fibrillation in patients with atrial fibrillation all could affect cognitive function. Age is an important risk factor for cognitive function, while education is a protective factor for cognitive function.(2) Delayed recall in the RFA group was improved compared with the preoperative, but the visuospatial/executive function, naming, attention, language, abstract and orientation and MoCA total score had no significant improvement with the preoperative.(3) Drug therapy has no significant improvement on cognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation.(4) Radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with improvement in cognitive function was not superior to drug therapy.