TY - JOUR T1 - Pulmonary vein isolation was better than antiarrhythmic drugs for symptomatic atrial fibrillation JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 16 LP - 16 DO - 10.1136/ebm.11.1.16 VL - 11 IS - 1 A2 - , Y1 - 2006/02/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/11/1/16.abstract N2 - Wazni OM, Marrouche NF, Martin DO, et al. Radiofrequency ablation vs antiarrhythmic drugs as first-line treatment of symptomatic atrial fibrillation: a randomized trial. JAMA 2005;293:2634–40.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science 
 
 Q In patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF), is pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with radiofrequency ablation more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs as first line treatment? Clinical impact ratings Internal medicine ★★★★★★☆ Cardiology ★★★★★★★ Design: randomised controlled trial. Allocation: {concealed}*.† Blinding: {unblinded}*.† Follow up period: 1 year. Setting: 44 clinical centres in Italy and 26 clinical centres in Germany. Patients: 70 patients who were 18–75 years of age and had experienced monthly symptomatic AF ⩾3 months. Exclusion criteria included previous history of AF or AF ablation, previous treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs, and contraindication to long term anticoagulation. Intervention: 33 patients were allocated to PVI with radiofrequency ablation (all 4 pulmonary veins were isolated) and were given ⩾3 months of warfarin, beginning on the evening of PVI (target international normalised ratio [INR] of 2–3). If patients … ER -