Evaluating inflammatory status to predict atrial fibrillation recurrence following ablation: The role of systemic immune-inflammation index

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in humans, affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) was first introduced as a treatment for AF by Haïssaguerre M in the late 1990s. This procedure quickly became the treatment of choice, especially for symptomatic patients with AF refractory to medication. However, up to 45% of patients may experience AF recurrence within 12 months after RFCA. In this setting, AF recurrence is likely multifactorial, including atrial remodeling, local fibrosis or incomplete ablation due to failure in locating the trigger. Additionally, patients with obesity, sleep apnea, hypertension, or diabetes are at an increased risk of AF recurrence after RFCA. Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a potential key factor in AF recurrence and may arise both from the healing response of heart tissue post-ablation or from chronic low-grade inflammation, as observed in many risk factors. Here, we present an original study by Wang et al, which investigated the combination of the systemic immune-inflammation index—a marker developed to assess overall inflammatory status—and the APPLE score, designed to predict AF recurrence following RFCA. The study found that using both indicators together improved the accuracy of AF recurrence prediction. These findings underscore the significant role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease and demonstrated its impact on AF recurrence after RFCA. Further research is warranted to validate the combined use of these two scores in clinical settings for predicting AF recurrence following catheter ablation.