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June 27, 2026EP EuropaceOpen Access

Catheter ablation of idiopathic premature ventricular contractions in athletes without structural heart disease: impact on arrhythmic burden and return to sport

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Why the study?

Does radiofrequency catheter ablation effectively reduce PVC burden and facilitate return to sport in competitive versus leisure-time athletes without structural heart disease?

Population

100 athletes aged ≥14 years with idiopathic premature ventricular contractions, preserved left ventricular…

Comparison

Radiofrequency catheter ablation using a 3D… vs Comparison between competitive athletes and…

Design

Cohort

Follow-up

3-6 months for Holter monitoring, 9-15 months for clinical…

Key result

Following catheter ablation for idiopathic PVCs, competitive athletes achieved a lower follow-up PVC burden compared to leisure-time athletes (median 34.5 vs 274 PVCs/24 h; p=0.006).

Authors

FCF CardinaliYVY ValeriRGR Grandin

Discussion

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Overview

CA may support return to sport after ablation in athletes with PVCs; leaves open need for prospective trials to confirm outcomes.

Key Points

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation for idiopathic PVCs in athletes without structural heart disease and assess their return to sports.
  • Single-center retrospective study including 100 athletes aged ≥14 years
  • Patients underwent catheter ablation with 3D electroanatomical mapping
  • Follow-up included Holter monitoring and clinical evaluation at 3–15 months.
  • PVC burden decreased significantly in both groups, more in competitive athletes (median 34.5 vs 274 PVCs/24 h, p=0.006)
  • Return to sport occurred in 78% of competitive and 70% of leisure-time athletes (p=0.370)
  • Approximately 60% of the cohort reported symptomatic improvement during sports participation.

Study Design

Type

Cohort (n=100)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does radiofrequency catheter ablation effectively reduce PVC burden and facilitate return to sport in competitive versus leisure-time athletes without structural heart disease?

P
Population
100 athletes aged ≥14 years with idiopathic PVCs and no structural heart disease who underwent catheter ablation, categorized as competitive or leisure-time athletes, followed for 9-15 months.
E
Exposure
Radiofrequency catheter ablation using a 3D electroanatomical mapping system
C
Comparator
Comparison between competitive athletes (n=46) and leisure-time athletes (n=54) receiving the same intervention
O
Outcome
PVC burden reductionsurrogate

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 34.5% vs 274%

p-value: p=0.006

Radiofrequency catheter ablation is a safe and highly effective treatment for idiopathic PVCs in athletes without structural heart disease, significantly reducing arrhythmic burden and facilitating return to sport.

Cite This Study

Cardinali et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Idiopathic premature ventricular contractions (n=100). Competitive athlete status vs. Leisure-time athlete status was evaluated on PVC burden reduction (p=0.006). Following catheter ablation for idiopathic PVCs, competitive athletes achieved a lower follow-up PVC burden compared to leisure-time athletes (median 34.5 vs 274 PVCs/24 h; p=0.006).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a3f97bb125782b61d8658ddhttps://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euag105.247
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Site-dependent outcomes in Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC) ablation: insights from a cohort study2026
  2. 2Evaluation of the prevalence and prognosis of various types of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) following catheter ablation in patients at afshar hospital, yazd, iran (2015–2020)2025
  3. 3Local activation time guided versus anatomical approach for ablation of premature ventricular complexes originating from the cardiac base2026
  4. 4A comparative analysis of the safety of ventricular arrhythmia ablation in patients undergoing procedures for ventricular tachycardia and premature ventricular contractions2026
  5. 5Long-term mortality after catheter ablation of focally-triggered polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation: single centre experience2026