What do systematic reviews say?

Ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug

Ablation may leads to lower cardiac hospitalisation Hospitalisations directly related to… compared with antiarrhythmic drug (low certainty).

• Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non‐paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.27 [0.1, 0.72]
  2 studies · 216 participants
  Low

Ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug

Ablation may leads to higher freedom from atrial arrhythmia compared with antiarrhythmic drug (low certainty).

• Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non‐paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.84 [1.17, 2.88]
  3 studies · 261 participants
  Low

Ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug

Ablation probably leads to lower participants needing cardioversion compared with antiarrhythmic drug (moderate certainty).

• Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non‐paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.62 [0.47, 0.82]
  3 studies · 261 participants
  Moderate

Ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug

Ablation showed no clear difference in significant bradycardia or need for a pacemaker compared with antiarrhythmic drug (low certainty).

• Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non‐paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.2 [0.02, 1.63]
  3 studies · 261 participants
  Low

Ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug

It is very uncertain whether ablation changes periprocedural complications and other safety outcomes compared with antiarrhythmic drug (very low certainty).

• Efficacy and safety of ablation for people with non‐paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.16, 5.68]
  3 studies · 261 participants
  Very low

Class I and/or III antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 participants
  GRADE not reported

Class III antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class III antiarrhythmics vs control

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 participants
  GRADE not reported

Class I and/or III antiarrhythmics vs control

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 participants
  GRADE not reported

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

Class I antiarrhythmics showed no clear difference in recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias compared with control (low certainty).

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.54 [0.25, 1.19]
  1 study · 125 participants
  Low

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 participants
  GRADE not reported

Class I antiarrhythmics vs control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Class III antiarrhythmics vs control

Class III antiarrhythmics showed no clear difference in recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias compared with control (low certainty).

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.82 [0.62, 1.09]
  2 studies · 318 participants
  Low

Class III antiarrhythmics vs control

It is very uncertain whether class III antiarrhythmics changes adverse events: thromboembolic events compared with control (very low certainty).

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  Peto OR 0.96 [0.06, 15.5]
  1 study · 212 participants
  Very low

Class I and/or III antiarrhythmics vs control

Class I and/or III antiarrhythmics probably leads to lower recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias compared with control (moderate certainty).

• Oral Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for maintaining sinus rhythm after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.85 [0.78, 0.93]
  5 studies · 2591 participants
  Moderate