Background Over the next few years, atrial fibrillation (AF)-related morbidity and costs will increase significantly. Thus, it is prudent to examine the impact of AF treatment on health care resource use. This study examined the impact of AF ablation on hospitalization, length of stay, and resource use for patients undergoing AF ablation in a multihospital system. Methods and Results In an observational analysis, outcomes of total, cardiovascular, and AF hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and length of stay were compared for 3417 patients between 12 months before and 24 months following AF ablation. Use of electrical cardioversions and antiarrhythmic use were also compared 1 year before to 2 years after AF ablation. There were fewer total (0.7±1.3 versus 0.3±0.7; P<0.001), cardiovascular (0.7±1.2 versus 0.2±0.6; P<0.001), and AF (0.6±1.1 versus 0.1±0.3; P<0.001) hospitalizations and emergency department visits (0.8±2.1 versus 0.4±0.9; P<0.001) per patient-year for the 2 years following AF ablation compared with 1 year before. Average length of stay per patient-year (1.4±7.9 versus 3.6±5.3 days; P<0.0001), the percentage of patients on antiarrhythmic therapy (21.2% versus 58.5%; P<0.0001), and those undergoing electrical cardioversions (16.1% versus 28.1%; P<0.0001) were lower 2 years following AF ablation versus 1 year before. Conclusions We noted a decrease in total, cardiovascular, and AF hospitalizations and health care resource use during the 2-year period after index AF ablation, compared with the 1 year before. AF ablation may portend a decline in patient morbidity and health care costs.
Keywords: ablation; atrial fibrillation; health care cost; length of stay; resource use.