Assessment of the CHADS2 index and the Prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Desirable Ablation Procedure

The CHADS2 score has been used as risk index for embolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is linked to the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we assessed relationship between the CHADS2 index and the prevalence of CAD in patients with AF desirable ablation procedure. Methods: One-hundred-fifty consecutive AF patients (65±7 years, 116 men) were included. Prior to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for AF ablation, coronary angiography or multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) was performed in all. Patients under 50-year-old were excluded. The presence of CAD was defined as a >75% coronary stenosis. Results: A mean CHADS2 score was 1.4±1.0. Of the patients, 27 (18%) had a score of 0 and found no CAD. In the remaining 123 patients (82%) with a score of 1 or more, 11 (9%) had CAD: the left main trunk disease in 3. These 3 patients did not undergo ablation procedure and instead underwent bypass graft surgery and maze procedure. Conclusion: When we perform PVI in AF patients with a CHADS2 score of 1 or more, assessment of coronary artery stenosis using diagnostic modalities such as MSCT would be necessary before the ablation procedure.