RCT: Among patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, an ablation-based rhythm-control strategy was not significantly better than a rate-control strategy for improving all-cause mortality and heart failure events (hazard ratio 0.71; 95% CI 0.49-1.03; p=0.066).

Randomized Ablation-Based Rhythm-Control Versus Rate-Control Trial in Patients with Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation: Results from the RAFT-AF trial – Circulation

Related:

Update on management of atrial fibrillation in heart failure: a focus on ablation.

Review: Cryoballoon ablation as initial treatment for atrial fibrillation.

Subgroup analysis of RCT suggests early rhythm control therapy is beneficial for patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

Meta-Analysis: Catheter Ablation Improves Outcomes in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Complicated with Heart Failure

Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Improves Outcomes in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

M-A: In patients with atrial fibrillation, catheter ablation was associated with a 38% reduction in recurrence and a 68% reduction in hospitalizations. The rate of serious complications was 4.2% with ablation vs. 2.8% in the antiarrhythmic group, a difference that was not statistically significant.

CABANATrial: Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy on Mortality, Stroke, Bleeding, and Cardiac Arrest Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation