Bagge L, et al. – This study evaluated quality-of-life (QOL) following mitral valve surgery (MVS) with or without epicardial left atrial cryoablation. Findings revealed that in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF), left atrial cryoablation added to MVS failed to improve health–related QOL.

Methods

• Sixty-five patients with permanent AF randomized to MVS with or without left atrial cryoablation, in the double-blinded multicentre SWEDMAF trial, replied to the Short Form 36 QOL survey at 6 and 12 months follow-up.

Results

• Findings demonstrated that the QOL scores at 12 month follow-up did not differ significantly between patients undergoing MVS combined with cryoablation vs. those undergoing MVS alone regarding Physical Component Summary mean 42.8 (95% confidence interval 38.3–47.3) vs. mean 44.0 (40.1–47.7), P = 0.700 or Mental Component Summary mean 53.1 (49.7–56.4) vs. mean 48.4 (44.6–52.2), P = 0.075.
• Researchers observed that all patients, irrespective of allocated procedure, reached the same QOL after surgery as an age-matched Swedish general population.
• Data revealed that the Physical Component Summary in patients with sinus rhythm did also not differ from those in AF at 12 months; mean 45.4 (42.0–48.7) vs. mean 40.5 (35.5–45.6), P = 0.096) nor was there a difference in Mental Component Summary; mean 51.0 (48.0–54.1) vs. mean 49.6 (44.6–54.5), P = 0.581).