Acute Kidney Injury Resulting From Hemoglobinuria After Pulsed-Field Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation: Is it Preventable?

Background: High-voltage pulses can cause hemolysis.

Objectives: The authors evaluated the occurrence of hemoglobinuria after pulsed-field ablation (PFA) and its impact on renal function in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: A consecutive series of patients with AF undergoing PFA were included in this analysis. The initial patients who did not receive postablation hydration immediately after the procedure were classified as group 1 (n = 28), and the rest of the study patients who received planned fluid infusion (0.9% sodium chloride ≥2 L) after the procedure were categorized as group 2 (n = 75).

Results: Of the 28 patients in group 1, 21 (75%) experienced hemoglobinuria during the 24 hours after catheter ablation. The mean postablation serum creatinine (S-Cr) was significantly higher than the baseline value in those 21 patients (1.46 ± 0.28 mg/dL vs 0.86 ± 0.24 mg/dL, P < 0.001). Of those 21 patients, 4 (19%) had S-Cr. >2.5 mg/dL (mean: 2.95 ± 0.21 mg/dL). The mean number of PF applications was significantly higher in those 4 patients than in the other 17 patients experiencing hemoglobinuria (94.63 ± 3.20 vs 46.75 ± 9.10, P < 0.001). In group 2 patients, no significant changes in S-Cr were noted. The group 2 patients received significantly higher amounts of fluid infusion after catheter ablation than did those in group 1 (2,082.50 ± 258.08 mL vs 494.01 ± 71.65 mL, P < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, both hydration (R² = 0.63, P < 0.01) and number of PFA applications (R² = 0.33, P < 0.01) were independent predictors of postprocedure acute kidney injury.

Conclusions: On the basis of our findings, both the number of PFA applications and postablation hydration were independent predictors of renal insult that could be prevented using planned fluid infusion immediately after the procedure.