Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42670245›Full record

ArticleJournal of cardiovascular electrophysiology2026

Safety and Efficacy of Nighttime Versus Daytime Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Zhuangzhuang Niu, Jiongchao Guo, Conghui Shang, Shaohui Wu, Weifeng Jiang, Xu Liu, Changhao Xu, Ying Meng

Abstract readMulticenter StudyComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

8 authors.

Zhuangzhuang NiuThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.ORCID 0009-0002-8301-2826
Jiongchao GuoDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Conghui ShangDepartment of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Shaohui WuDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Weifeng JiangDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Xu LiuDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Changhao XuDepartment of Cardiology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Ying MengThe Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to compare the incidence of post‑procedural complications in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) performed during daytime versus nighttime hours.

methodsThis retrospective study included 2951 patients who underwent AF ablation at three centers between 2019 and 2024. Based on procedure start time, patients were assigned to a daytime group (08:00-16:00, n = 1503) or a nighttime group (16:00-24:00, n = 1301). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was any complication within 3 months post‑ablation. Secondary outcomes included in‑hospital and post‑discharge complications (within 3 months) and freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence at 12 months.

resultsFollowing 1:1 PSM, 1263 matched pairs were analyzed. The overall postoperative complication rate was significantly higher in the nighttime group than in the daytime group (4.99% vs. 2.30%; odds ratio [OR]: 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-3.49; p < 0.001). This elevated risk was consistent for both in-hospital complications (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.23-3.72; p = 0.007) and post-discharge complications (OR: 2.32; 95% CI: 1.10-4.90; p = 0.027). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the 12-month freedom from atrial arrhythmia recurrence between the two cohorts.

conclusionsNighttime AF ablation is associated with a significantly increased risk of overall postoperative complications, highlighting procedural timing as a critical determinant of perioperative patient safety.

Indexed as

After-Hours CareAtrial FibrillationCatheter AblationAction PotentialsAgedChinaFemaleHeart RateHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsRecurrenceRetrospective StudiesRisk Assessmentablationatrial fibrillationcomplicationsprocedural timing

Identifiers

PMID42670245
PMCPMC13576532

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.