Mining the P wave to predict recurrence after atrial fibrillation ablation: More than a simple wave!

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical arrhythmia which was shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Catheter ablation is the mainstay of rhythm control strategy compared to anti-arrhythmic treatment. It is currently recommended for symptomatic patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal and persistent AF. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of AF ablation and further ablation may be required in non-paroxysmal AF patients. However, a significant amount of AF recurrence after catheter ablation has been reported in clinical studies [1].