Evidence mapPaperPMID 40676688Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of medical research2025

Cryoballoon versus radiofrequency ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: an updated systematic review and meta‑analysis.

Yi-Meng Gao, Tian-Zhi Cai, Hong-Lan Ma

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yi-Meng GaoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, No.48 West Road Fenghao, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710077, China.
Tian-Zhi CaiDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, No.48 West Road Fenghao, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710077, China. caitianzhi1978@126.com.
Hong-Lan MaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, No.48 West Road Fenghao, Xi'an Shaanxi, 710077, China. mahlmed@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCompared with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is more harmful and difficult to treat, and the efficacy of different catheter ablation for both also varies greatly. So this study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of cryoballoon (CB) and radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of persistent AF.

methodsWe searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases for studies comparing the efficacy and safety between CB and RF ablation for persistent AF. All included studies met our inclusion criteria.

resultsA total of 11 studies, 2551 patients were enrolled in this study, including 1256 patients in CB group and 1295 patients in RF group. Meta-analysis results showed that the freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATA) recurrence was similar between the CB and RF groups (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.18, I

conclusionsCB can be used as an alternative therapy to RF for persistent AF, both of which have considerable efficacy and safety. CB can significantly reduce the operation time with the probability of high PNP.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationCatheter AblationCryosurgeryRadiofrequency AblationHumansPostoperative ComplicationsTreatment OutcomeCryoballoon ablationMeta-analysisPersistent atrial fibrillationRadiofrequency ablation

Identifiers

PMID40676688
PMCPMC12273244

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.