ReviewJournal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing2026
Empiric superior vena cava isolation during first-time catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.
Review in Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, yet recurrences related to non-pulmonary vein triggers such as the superior vena cava are common. Whether empiric SVC isolation (SVCI) during first-time ablation improves outcomes in paroxysmal AF remains uncertain.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing PVI plus empiric SVCI versus PVI alone in patients undergoing first-time catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Databases were searched through September 15, 2025.
resultsFour randomized trials comprising 608 patients (304 PVI+SVCI, 304 PVI alone; mean age 61 years; 38% female) were included. Compared with PVI alone, empiric SVCI did not significantly reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence (RR 0.70 [0.49–1.01], p = 0.06; I² = 0%), with recurrence occurring in 13.8% of patients in the PVI + SVCI group versus 19.7% in the PVI alone group. Procedural complication rates and total procedure duration were similar between groups, while fluoroscopy time was modestly longer with SVCI. Notably, phrenic nerve injury occurred exclusively in the SVCI group (3 patients).
conclusionsIn randomized trials limited to first-time ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, empiric SVC isolation did not reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence and was associated with phrenic nerve injury. In randomized trials limited to first-time ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, empiric superior vena cava isolation did not reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence compared with pulmonary vein isolation alone and was associated with phrenic nerve injury.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41712167What Socratic holds
Registered trials
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.