Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a genetic heart disease leading to obstructive hypertrophy. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive alternative to traditional treatments. This review evaluates RFA's effectiveness and safety for HOCM. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on studies from PubMed, Cochrane, and clinicaltrials.gov up to August 2024. Studies comparing RFA outcomes before and after the procedure were included. Data were analyzed through Revman software, using random-effects models. The funnel plots and Egger test were used for publication bias. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were also performed. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 16 cohort studies and 2 case series, encompassing 727 patients with ages ranging from 10.4 to 62 years. The studies were conducted in various countries, including China, the USA, Germany, the UK, India, and Brazil. The analysis revealed significant improvements following radiofrequency ablation (RFA): the LVOT gradient at rest was reduced by MD -58.2 (CI: -71.2 to -56.93, p < 0.00001), and the provoked gradient decreased by MD -81.05 (CI: -97.67 to -64.42, p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: RFA effectively reduces both LVOT gradients at rest and provoked, improves NYHA functional class, and decreases septal size in HOCM patients.