{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,6]],"date-time":"2026-03-06T18:21:55Z","timestamp":1772821315255,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771891200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":23,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Atrial fibrillation cycle length (AF-CL) measured in the pulmonary veins (PVs) with a novel simple method [the average of the 10 consecutive Fastest Atrial Repetitive Similar signal interval (FARS10)] accurately identified pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) responders in a preliminary study. This study aims to evaluate differences in PV-FARS10 between paroxysmal and persistent AF and to define the optimal cut-off to predict PVI-only approach success in a large population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with persistent or paroxysmal AF undergoing first PVI in a single-centre study. The primary endpoint was atrial arrhythmia recurrence. A total of 219 patients (61.8 \u00b1 11.2 years, 25.1% female) were included, with 70 patients (32%) having paroxysmal AF and 149 patients (68%) persistent AF. After a median follow-up of 18.0 [interquartile range (IQR) 10.2\u201342.3] months, 72 (32.9%) patients experienced AF\/atrial flutter (AFL)\/atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence. Patients with shortest PV-FARS10 \u2264 155\u2005ms had a lower rate of AF\/AFL\/AT recurrence compared to those with shortest PV-FARS10 &amp;gt; 155\u2005ms in the overall population (HR 0.34, P &amp;lt; 0.001), in persistent AF (HR 0.40, P = 0.002), and in paroxysmal AF (HR 0.18, P = 0.01). In multivariable analysis\u2014which included age, sex, body mass index, CHA2DS2-VA score, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, duration of AF, AF type (paroxysmal vs. persistent), left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial volume index, shortest PV-FARS10\/left atrial appendage-FARS10, and AF termination during ablation\u2014only the shortest PV-FARS10 \u2264 155\u2005ms was the significant predictor of AF\/AFL\/AT recurrence-free survival in the overall population (HR 0.45, CI: 0.26\u20130.78, P = 0.005). Paroxysmal AF patients more frequently had shortest PV-FARS10 \u2264 155\u2005ms than persistent AF patients (61.4% vs. 42.3%, P = 0.009).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>PV-FARS10 can accurately identify PVI responders among patients with persistent and paroxysmal AF. Patients with slow PV (shortest PV-FARS10 &amp;gt; 155\u2005ms) experience a higher rate of AF\/AFL\/AT recurrence after PVI-only approach. The shortest PV-FARS10 \u2264 155\u2005ms occurs more frequently in paroxysmal AF patients than in persistent AF patients.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/euag033","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,21]],"date-time":"2026-02-21T12:33:15Z","timestamp":1771677195000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Shortest pulmonary vein atrial fibrillation cycle length identifies pulmonary vein isolation responders beyond clinical atrial fibrillation pattern: the FARS-AF II study"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3989-9397","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lorenzo","family":"Marcon","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Heart Rhythm Management Centre, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Heart Rhythm Research Brussels, Postgraduate Program in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, European Reference Networks Guard-Heart , Avenue du Laerbeek 101, Jette, Brussels 1090 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9864-1938","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Bergonti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Cardiocentro Ticino Institute, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale , Lugano ,","place":["Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1640-9428","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Spera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Cardiovascular Department, Sant\u2019 Andrea University Hospital , Rome ,","place":["Italy"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0049-4632","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johan","family":"Saenen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2964-8068","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wim","family":"Huybrechts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6568-451X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hielko","family":"Miljoen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp , Prinsstraat 13, Antwerp 2000 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4246-9707","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olivier","family":"Van Leuven","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0663-9724","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lien","family":"Vandaele","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anouk","family":"Wittock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesiology Department, University Hospital Antwerp , Antwerp ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9301-8127","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hein","family":"Heidbuchel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp , Prinsstraat 13, Antwerp 2000 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6327-0487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Sarkozy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital , Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem, Antwerp 2650 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Heart Rhythm Management Centre, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Heart Rhythm Research Brussels, Postgraduate Program in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, European Reference Networks Guard-Heart , Avenue du Laerbeek 101, Jette, Brussels 1090 ,","place":["Belgium"]},{"name":"Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp , Prinsstraat 13, Antwerp 2000 ,","place":["Belgium"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e009573","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCEP.120.009573","article-title":"Radiofrequency versus cryoballoon catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: durability of pulmonary vein isolation and effect on atrial fibrillation burden: the RACE-AF randomized controlled trial","volume":"14","author":"S\u00f8rensen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1497","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2502280","article-title":"Pulsed field or cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation","volume":"392","author":"Reichlin","year":"2025","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartj\/ehaa612","article-title":"2020 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS): the task force for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) developed with the special contribution of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the ESC","volume":"42","author":"Hindricks","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur Heart J"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"euae043","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/euae043","article-title":"2024 European Heart Rhythm Association\/Heart Rhythm Society\/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society\/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation","volume":"26","author":"Tzeis","year":"2024","journal-title":"Europace"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e013456","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCEP.124.013456","article-title":"(Doubts on) the mechanistic role of pulmonary veins reconnection in paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of mandatory remapping studies","volume":"18","author":"Bergonti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"euae134","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/euae134","article-title":"State-of-the-art pulsed field ablation for cardiac arrhythmias: ongoing evolution and future perspective","volume":"26","author":"Chun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Europace"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1812","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa1408288","article-title":"Approaches to catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation","volume":"372","author":"Verma","year":"2015","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1253\/circj.CJ-21-0476","article-title":"Low-voltage-area ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation\u2015extended follow-up results of the VOLCANO trial \u2015","volume":"86","author":"Masuda","year":"2022","journal-title":"Circ J"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1556","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacep.2018.09.020","article-title":"Less pulmonary vein reconnection at redo procedures following radiofrequency point-by-point antral pulmonary vein isolation with the use of contemporary catheter ablation technologies","volume":"4","author":"Sandorfi","year":"2018","journal-title":"JACC Clin Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacep.2018.11.020","article-title":"Pulmonary vein reconnection no longer occurs in the majority of patients after a single pulmonary vein isolation procedure","volume":"5","author":"De Pooter","year":"2019","journal-title":"JACC Clin Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"euaf231","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/euaf231","article-title":"Contemporary strategies for repeat ablation of atrial fibrillation: a European Heart Rhythm Association survey","volume":"27","author":"Conti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Europace"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"641","DOI":"10.1111\/jce.15401","article-title":"Reproducibility and predictive value of a simple novel method to measure atrial fibrillation cycle length in persistent atrial fibrillation\u2014FARS-AF study","volume":"33","author":"Spera","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"751","DOI":"10.1007\/s10840-023-01654-1","article-title":"Atrial fibrillation cycle-length (AF-CL) inside the pulmonary veins predicts paroxysmal AF ablation success\u2014 the INDUCE-AF study","volume":"67","author":"Bergonti","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Interv Card Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e027795","DOI":"10.1161\/JAHA.122.027795","article-title":"Characterization of atrial substrate to predict pulmonary veins isolation\u2019s success: the prospective, multicenter MASH-AF II study","volume":"12","author":"Bergonti","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Am Heart Assoc"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1541","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacep.2018.08.015","article-title":"Validating left atrial low voltage areas during atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter using multielectrode automated electroanatomic mapping","volume":"4","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Ma\u00f1ero","year":"2018","journal-title":"JACC Clin Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"645","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1540-8167.2002.00645.x","article-title":"Mechanistic significance of intermittent pulmonary vein tachycardia in patients with atrial fibrillation","volume":"13","author":"Oral","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3007","DOI":"10.1161\/01.CIR.0000130645.95357.97","article-title":"Changes in atrial fibrillation cycle length and inducibility during catheter ablation and their relation to outcome","volume":"109","author":"Ha\u00efssaguerre","year":"2004","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1540-8167.2002.00124.x","article-title":"Paroxysmal cycle length shortening in the pulmonary veins during atrial fibrillation correlates with arrhythmogenic triggering foci in sinus rhythm","volume":"13","author":"O\u2019Donnell","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"vi64","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/eum208","article-title":"Atrial fibrillatory cycle length: computer simulation and potential clinical importance","volume":"9","author":"Haissaguerre","year":"2007","journal-title":"Europace"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCEP.113.001264","article-title":"Pulmonary veins to left atrium cycle length gradient predicts procedural and clinical outcomes of persistent atrial fibrillation ablation","volume":"7","author":"Pascale","year":"2014","journal-title":"Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"980","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hrthm.2018.02.029","article-title":"Pulmonary vein activity does not predict the outcome of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: a long-term multicenter prospective study","volume":"15","author":"Prabhu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Heart Rhythm"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2004.10.035","article-title":"Pre-existent left atrial scarring in patients undergoing pulmonary vein antrum isolation","volume":"45","author":"Verma","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Am Coll Cardiol"},{"key":"2026030607215008200_euag033-B23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"euaf206","DOI":"10.1093\/europace\/euaf206","article-title":"Prevalence and multiple predictors of left atrial low voltage in paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients undergoing ablation: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"27","author":"Oliva","year":"2025","journal-title":"Europace"}],"container-title":["Europace"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/europace\/advance-article-pdf\/doi\/10.1093\/europace\/euag033\/67084194\/euag033.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"am","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/europace\/article-pdf\/28\/2\/euag033\/67084194\/euag033.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/europace\/article-pdf\/28\/2\/euag033\/67084194\/euag033.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,6]],"date-time":"2026-03-06T12:22:03Z","timestamp":1772799723000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/europace\/article\/doi\/10.1093\/europace\/euag033\/8495632"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"references-count":23,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/europace\/euag033","relation":{},"ISSN":["1099-5129","1532-2092"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1099-5129","type":"print"},{"value":"1532-2092","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"article-number":"euag033"}}