Introduction
Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become the first-line
treatment for a selected population [1]. Oral anticoagulation
remains an essential treatment for patients with AF regardless of
whether or not they undergo the ablation. Anemia is often encountered in
subjects with AF who are on anticoagulant treatment with direct oral
anticoagulants (DOACs) in clinical practice [2]. To date,
preexisting anemia is not considered a predictor of major hemorrhagic
complications during the periablation period
[3]. Still, there is concern
about further blood loss due to the ablation procedure in anemic
patients since it requires an insertion of several large-diameter
vascular sheaths and intense intraprocedural anticoagulation with
heparin [3]. We then in the present study sought to investigate
whether there was a difference in blood loss following AF ablation
between patients with and without preexisting anemia.