Objective: Thromboembolic complications commonly occur in radiofrequency (RF) ablation procedures. Endothelial injury is believed to be induced during the process of RF ablation and to be involved in the mechanisms of thromboembolism. In this study, we gave further information about endothelial injury and also investiged the possible reasons for endothelial dysfunction during RF.
Methods and results: Plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO), a biomarker of endothelial injury and some antioxidants and oxidants: beta-carotene (beta-CAR), lipoperoxide (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) were measured in 44 patients who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation. Plasma NO concentration decreased significantly from 433.27 +/- 59.93 nmol/L to 407.13 +/- 52.32 nmol/L during RF ablation. Levels of beta-CAR, LPO, SOD,VC and VE were not significantly different. The decrease of plasma NO level was significantly correlated with ablation duration and cumulative ablation energy but had no significant correlation with overall procedure time, output ablation energy, ablation temperature and age of the patients.
Conclusions: Radiofrequency catheter ablation induced endothelial injury but had no effect on oxidative stress. Radiofrequency energy was the main factor that caused endothelial injury during RF ablation.