Introduction: Catheter ablation (CA) is increasingly used as an effective treatment for the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Our aim was to compare short term (6 months) outcome of convergent procedure (CP) and CA.
Methods: A single center, prospective, randomized study comparing outcomes after CP and CA for the treatment of PAF was initiated. Twenty-eight patients (aged 60±8.6 years; 75% (21) males; average PAF duration 4.9±4.1 years) were enrolled in this study (14 CP and 14 CA). Patients were implanted with loop recorders. Rhythm status was evaluated 6 months after the procedure; patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) burden less than 0.3% were considered to be free of AF.

Results: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics for both groups. Six months post procedure more patients from the CP group were free of AF (CP group vs. CA group; 85.7% (12) vs. 57.1% (8); p=0.03).
Conclusions: After short-term follow-up more patients treated for paroxysmal AF were free of AF after convergent procedure compared to catheter ablation.