Effectiveness of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in Belgian practice: a cohort analysis on administrative data

Aim To assess the outcome and cost of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Belgium. Methods and results From a nationwide health insurers' database, we retrieved claims data of all patients that underwent a catheter ablation of AF from November 2007 through December 2008. Based on data on reimbursed procedures and drugs, we assessed AF recurrence using different models. Costs related to the index hospitalization were calculated. During the observation period, 830 patients underwent a first catheter ablation of AF. Two-year follow-up data were available for all patients, with an ave... Mehr ...